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

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

Everyone needs to remember that Ebola was not a worst-case scenario. Preparedness for the future means preparedness for a very severe disease that spreads via the airborne route or can be transmitted during the incubation period, before an infected person shows telltale signs of illness.

Maternal mortality health is a very sensitive indicator. All you need to look at is a country's maternal mortality rate. That is a surrogate for whether the country's health system is functioning. If it works for women, I'm sure it will work for men.

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

The multiple roles that women can play in a society if given the opportunity is really a tremendous asset.

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