Indian doctor Ketan Desai has lost out in the race for the President of World Medical Association (WMA) with Israeli medico Yoram Blachar being elected to the post.
The WMA is an umbrella organisation of 84 national medical association around the world and represents about nine million physicians worldwide.
Besides Desai and Blachar, an New Zealander was also a contender for the post.
Commenting on the development, Honorary Secretary General of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Dr Vinay Aggarwal said India will field its candidate again next year.
“We just wanted to put our candidate this time. But next year, we are going to contest as we are hosting the World Medical Assembly in 2009 in Delhi,” Aggarwal told PTI. “Some two lakh Indian doctors are members of WMA but we have been active in it only for the last three four years,” he said.
Blachar, Chairman of Israel Medical Association, who had served two consecutive terms as Chairman of the WMA Council, said he will endeavour to bring Arab and African states into the organisation.
“I am proud to be part of the medical profession, a field that bridges borders,” he said.
The 67-year old doctor is an emergency care and paediatric physician with a speciality in kidney diseases in children. WMA focuses primarily on issues of ethics.
The purpose of the WMA is to serve humanity by endeavoring to achieve the highest international standards in Medical Education, Medical Science, Medical Art and Medical Ethics, and Health Care for all people in the world.