Quotes from Margaret Chan

Mexico is a safe, as well as a beautiful and warmly gracious, place to visit.

The unique nature about the influenza virus is its great potential for changes, for mutation.

We should never forget the government should be held accountable for providing services.

The WHO is the lead agency in health in the United Nations system, and clearly we have very important functions to play.

For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real-time... Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour.

...we hope to stop the transmission in six to nine months

After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.

The International Health Partnership Plus is addressing the need to harmonize development assistance and reduce the current waste, duplication, and high transaction costs.

We cannot think of the old days when we were dealing with SARS. It's a totally different ballgame now.

New and emerging infections keep coming back and the world needs a collective defense system, and that requires international cooperation and collaboration, in the name of global solidarity.

Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously, precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

What amazes me most is that the media and I have fostered a close relationship.

We need to empower women. Give women a voice in the decision-making process. Give women a political voice where they can champion, for their own welfare. And, of course, for us. United Nations - organizations, agencies - we need to do our part.

When you're dealing with new and emerging diseases, you have no idea and you can't predict in advance what would happen.

Many diseases including malaria, dengue, meningitis - just a few examples - these are what we call climate-sensitive diseases, because such climate dimensions for rainfall, humidity and temperature would influence the epidemics, the outbreaks, either directly influencing the parasites or the mosquitoes that carry them.

The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

I think U.N. organizations are important organizations. They exist for good reasons. And we also admit that there is room for us to improve the way we do business. The WHO will be a very positive and proactive partner in the overall U.N. reform, which is also important.

Based on assessment of all available information and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.

I want us to be judged by the impact we have on the health of the people of Africa and the health of women. Improvements in the health of the people of Africa and the health of women are key indicators of the performance of WHO. This is a health organization for the whole world... But we must focus our attention on the people in greatest need.

Tobacco is the only industry that produces products to make huge profits and at the same time damage the health and kill their consumers.

A health system that lacks commodities for managing high-mortality infectious diseases and the main killers of mothers and young children will not have an adequate impact. By the same token, even the best-stocked delivery system will have an inadequate impact if it fails to reach the poor.

At a time of multiple calamities in the world, we cannot allow the loss of essential antimicrobials, essential cures for many millions of people, to become the next global crisis.

New diseases like SARS and bird flu cause anxiety in the community. People get worried, some to the extent that it even affects their health. You feel very sad, and yet you must carry on and maintain your cool in very trying and difficult moments. You have to tough it out.

I have a reputation for being a straight-talker.