World Health Organization
Executive Board leadership
Member and Chairman of the WHO Executive Board, participating in the organisation’s intergovernmental health-governance work.
WHO proceedingsGlobal health & regional cooperation
Global
health.
Leadership in international health governance, vaccine cooperation, sustainable health financing, and people-to-people exchange across South Asia.
Explore the record
At a glance
Four areas of engagement.
Explore the international roles and initiatives, with links to institutional records and related stories.
International immunisation
Early Gavi engagement
Participated in Gavi’s launch and early Board discussions, including a session on country ownership of immunisation programmes.
Gavi Board meeting documentHealth financing
Bhutan Health Trust Fund
Helped establish a national financing mechanism for vaccines and essential medicines, formally launched at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
Fund historySouth Asian cooperation
South Asia Foundation
Became the first chairperson of the Foundation’s Bhutan chapter, supporting regional education and youth exchanges.
Foundation history01
World Health Organization
WHO Executive Board.
Executive Board member and Chairman · 1990s
Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup served on the WHO Executive Board and chaired its proceedings. The Board supports the work of the World Health Assembly through policy advice and implementation of Assembly decisions.
WHO proceedings from 1997 document his participation as the Executive Board’s representative in discussions of health financing and WHO’s programme of work. His international role connected Bhutan’s experience in health-service delivery with multilateral health governance.
02
International immunisation
Early Gavi engagement.
2000 · Launch and early Board discussions
He participated in the launch of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization in Davos in January 2000, representing the perspective of a country working to maintain access to essential health services.
The programme for Gavi’s third Board meeting identifies him as the lead for a discussion on country ownership: how international vaccine partnerships could support national health plans, sustainable immunisation services, and capacity building.
Bhutan Health Trust Fund
Sustaining access to essential medicines and vaccines.
The Bhutan Health Trust Fund was launched on 12 May 1998 at WHO headquarters in Geneva. Established as a long-term financing mechanism, it supports the provision of essential medicines and vaccines within Bhutan’s public health system.
Lyonpo helped bring the Fund into being and led the 2002 Move for Health Walk to mobilise public participation and financial support. WHO’s South-East Asia Region recognised his contribution with an Excellence in Public Health award in 2015.
03
Regional education & youth cooperation
South Asia Foundation.
First chairperson · Bhutan chapter, from 2000
Lyonpo became the first chairperson of the South Asia Foundation’s Bhutan chapter in October 2000. His work with the Foundation included education, teacher training and opportunities for young people across the region to meet and learn together.
The first South Asia Foundation Scout Friendship Camp was held in Bhutan in February 2002, bringing together 550 scouts, guides and adult leaders from seven South Asian countries. He helped initiate the event and opened the camp. In March 2006, he chaired a meeting of the Foundation’s Governing Council at UNESCO headquarters.
South Asia Foundation · Bhutan Chapter
Opportunities for young people.
In this excerpt, Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup discusses the aspirations of the South Asia Foundation's Bhutan Chapter: helping young people find gainful employment and supporting their dignity, integrity and sense of self-worth.
Watch on YouTubeHistorical record
Explore the source documents.
Institutional reports and archives relating to the international work described above.
- 1997WHO: World Health Assembly proceedings ↗
- 2000WHO: Gavi launch report ↗
- 2000Gavi: Early Board meeting programme ↗
- 1998Bhutan Health Trust Fund: Institutional history ↗
- 2002South Asia Foundation: First Scout Friendship Camp ↗
- 2006South Asia Foundation: Governing Council meeting ↗
- 2015WHO: Excellence in Public Health award ↗
Continue exploring