Five candidates have been officially nominated by their respective governments to run for Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau, the secretariat of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). PAHO Member States will elect the new Director during the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference, scheduled for 17–21 September 2012 in Washington, D.C.

In accordance with the rules governing the election, the official nominations were opened and certified on 2 May 2012 by PAHO Senior Legal Officer Mercedes Gatica, in the presence of the President of the PAHO Executive Committee, Dr. Miriam Morales, Vice-Minister of Health of Venezuela. 

The official candidates are:

• Caroline Judith Chang Campos – Ecuador
• Carissa Faustina Etienne – Dominica
• Socorro Gross Galiano – Costa Rica
• María Julia Muñoz Melo – Uruguay
• Oscar Raúl Ugarte Ubilluz – Peru

The new Director will begin a five-year term on 1 February 2013, replacing outgoing Director Dr. Mirta Roses Periago of Argentina, who has held the post since 1 February 2003.

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