The World Health Organization (WHO) has nominated Dr Margaret Chan, former health chief of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as its next director-general.

Coming after four rounds of secret balloting by the UN agency's 34-nation Executive Board, the nomination meant the elimination of four other heavyweight competitors.

Chan, 59, joined the WHO in 2003 and has since been the agency's top official for pandemic influenza, as well as the assistant director-general for communicable diseases.

Her challengers in the race included Japan's Shigero Omi, who heads WHO's operations in the Western Pacific region, Mexico's Health Minister Julio Frenk, Kazem Behbehani, a senior WHO official from Kuwait, and Spanish Health Minister Elena Salgado Mendez.

The five finalists were selected from an original list of 11 candidates, who had been recommended by their respective governments to head the U.N. agency following the sudden death of former WHO Director-General Dr Lee Jong-wook in May.

"I'm deeply honored by your confidence," Chan told the Executive Board after its members finally nominated her as the new WHO chief, stating her feeling of "deep responsibility."

Having led in all four rounds of balloting, Chan's nomination seemed assure when Shigero Omi, seen as her strongest competitor, was eliminated in the third round.

Chan finally got 24 ballots in the last round, defeating the only remaining rival, Mexico's Frenk, who received 10 ballots.

"You can be sure that I will work tirelessly and I will open my ears to all to listen to all voices," Chan told the Executive Board after the voting.

According to WHO election procedures, Chan's nomination has to be approved by the decision-making World Health Assembly, which will meet on Thursday and will be attended by all 193 WHO member states.

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