About

DR TRAN IS THE FIRST VIETNAMESE CANDIDATE NOMINATED FOR THE POSITION OF WHO REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC.

She is a strong, dynamic leader with three decades of public health and health diplomacy experience at national, regional and international levels. Dr Tran currently serves as Director of Division of Programmes for Disease Control in the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO). She has a proven track record in understanding the challenges faced by Member States, and leading WPR teams to think critically and identify innovative approaches to tackle these challenges.
Her vision is: “Building a Healthier Future Together: Leaving no one behind”. This vision emphasizes the importance of strengthening primary health care and transforming the health system to reach vulnerable populations and achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals in the Region.
Dr Tran is a supportive, caring, and inclusive leader who aims to bring a new dynamic to WHO in the Western Pacific Region. She aims to address barriers that prevent all WHO employees from realizing their full potential in supporting Member States, inspire the next generation of female leaders and foster inclusivity and diversity in decision - making.

Assoc. Prof. Tran Thi Giang Huong,
MD, MPH, PhD (Dr Tran)

Education
1991
• Medical Doctor Degree with first-class honours, Hanoi Medical University.
2000
• Master’s Degree in Public Health, University of New South Wales, Australia.
2008
• PhD degree in Public Health, Viet Nam’s National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
CAREER JOURNEY

2008

2019

• Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Health of Viet Nam.
• Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Health of Viet Nam.
2016
• Associate Professor at Hanoi Medical University.
• Co-founder and Deputy Director of the Department of Global Health, Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University.
JULY 2019
PRESENT
• Director of the Division of Programmes for Disease Control, WHO Office for the Western Pacific.
• Director of the Division of Programmes for Disease Control, WHO Office for the Western Pacific.
Language
Proficiency
Language Proficiency
• Vietnamese: Fluent in Vietnamese, as mother tongue.
• English: Fluent in English, the offical working language of WHO
• French: Processes reading ability in French.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS BY DR TRAN THI GIANG HUONG

DR TRAN THI GIANG HUONG
M.D, M.P.H, Ph.D (DR TRAN)
01
COVID-19 RESPONSE EXCELLENCE
During the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Tran worked as the acting Regional Emergency Director (RED), WHO Health Emergencies Programme/Director, Division of Health Security and Emergencies (DSE). She played a pivotal role together with WHO colleagues, Member States and partners in shaping Regional COVID-19 guidance that contributed to the lowest morbidity and mortality rates related to COVID-19, of any Region.
02
SPEARHEADING VACCINATION SUCCESS
As the Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Working Group, Dr Tran supported Member States in the Western Pacific Region, working with COVAX and other partners to attain high COVID-19 vaccination coverage, particularly among priority groups, including in Pacific Island countries, and low middle-income countries.
03
DRIVING HEALTH TRANSFORMATION
Dr Tran is dedicated to the implementation of "Reaching the Unreached" and has driven the development of a new strategy endorsed by Member States to operationalize this "For the Future" priority, in line with WHO's Thirteenth General Programme of Work. This work paves the way for transforming the Western Pacific into the world's healthiest and safest Region.
04
PIONEERING INNOVATION IN DEVELOPING REGIONAL FRAMEWORKS
Dr Tran's visionary leadership led to the development of future-oriented Regional Frameworks on noncommunicable diseases and mental health. She has envisioned and promoted a shift from a "sick system" to a "health system” in these frameworks and has engaged communities and fostered multisectoral partnerships to create healthier environments and populations.
05
A SYNERGY OF PERSPECTIVES

Dr Tran's past experiences have uniquely positioned her as a leader with a dual perspective. She blends her national, regional and global experience and expertise, towards the goal of making the Western Pacific Region, the healthiest and safest.

National Leadership - Ministry of Health, Viet Nam:

Dr Tran has previously worked as a distinguished figure at the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam. She actively engaged in health policy and strategy development and implementation in Viet Nam. Her role as the Chairperson in the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meetings on Health Development (SOMHD) was instrumental in developing

International Engagement - World Health Organization (WHO):

Dr Tran served as an alternate member of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization from 2016 to 2019. This prestigious position allowed her to represent Viet Nam and other countries of the Western Pacific Region, and actively participate in global health decision-making.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

OUTBREAK PREVENTION AND RESPONSE
Key responder and member of the National Steering Committee on SARS Outbreak Response during the SARS outbreak in 2003 in Viet Nam. She also played key roles in responses to H5N1 and H1N1 outbreaks in 2005 and 2009 and the measles outbreak in 2012.
POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION:
Contributed to developing and implementing national health policies and strategies on universal health coverage and disease control programmes and engaged in developing several essential health laws, including the Law on Health Insurance, the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco, and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Alcohol-Related Harms.
WHO LEADERSHIP
Led the development and implementation of six Regional Strategic Frameworks on a broad range of technical areas, including Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization, Ending Tuberculosis, Reaching the Unreached, Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer, and the Future of Mental Health in the Western Pacific.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
Served as Acting Regional Emergencies Director/ Acting Director of the Division of Health Security and Emergency from February 2020 until October 2020. During the acute phase of the pandemic, she led the COVID-19 response in the Region. From November 2020 until present, she served as Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Working Group at the Regional Office for the Western Pacific, responsible for COVID 19 vaccination in the Region. Western Pacific Region achieved the highest COVID 19 vaccination coverage as compared with other WHO Regions.
"REACHING THE UNREACHED"
Led the implementation of the thematic priority of “Reaching the Unreached” to achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals. Provided technical support to Member States in the Region on an integrated systems approach and transforming health systems through strengthened or revitalised primary health care.
BUILDING HEALTHIER POPULATIONS
Provided leadership and guidance to develop innovative and future-looking Regional Frameworks on non-communicable diseases and mental health, including the strategic shift from the “sick system” to the “health system” and multisectoral partnerships to build healthier environments for healthier populations.
Newsroom

What did the press say about dr tran
vietnamplus.vn
Việt Nam ứng cử vị trí Giám đốc Văn phòng Tây Thái Bình Dương của WHO
special.vietnamplus.vn
Trò chuyện với người Việt đầu tiên được bổ nhiệm
nld.com.vn
Nữ bác sĩ Việt Nam ứng cử Giám đốc khu vực Tây Thái Bình Dương của WHO

HEALTHY
LIFESTYLE

Assoc. Prof. Tran Thi Giang Huong is in excellent physical and mental health condition, maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes walking, swimming, and practicing yoga.

Resillience: Practices a healthy lifestyle to remain energetic and able to work well under pressure.

Energetic: Full of energy to serve Member States in the capacity of the Regional Director.

Building a healthier
Future together

Leaving no one behind

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