Head of U.N. Health Agency Dies at 61

World Health Organization WHO Assistant Director-General Margaret Chan of China, center, front, and other delegates observe a minute of silence at the opening of the 59th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 22, 2006, after the announcement that WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook has died after undergoing emergency surgery for a blood clot in his brain over the weekend. (AP Photo/Keystone/Salvatore Di Nolfi) (Salvatore Di Nolfi - AP)

"He spoke with me of three difficult and arduous months, when he and his mother walked mile after mile after mile in search of his father, who was during that cold winter in exile," Leavitt said.

Lee oversaw a strengthening of WHO's surveillance systems to protect against pandemic influenza, meeting with world leaders to highlight the potential threat, including President Bush and President Hu Jintao of China.

A tuberculosis expert who had previously run WHO's Stop TB program, Lee replaced former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland as director-general.

Lee _ known for his lighthearted manner at news conferences, when he often joked with journalists _ was the only WHO insider in the race for the top job in 2003 and the only candidate never to have held a ministerial or top U.N. post.

"He was a rare individual," said Dr. Mario Raviglione, who took over as head of the Stop TB program. "He didn't talk much. When he spoke, he knew exactly why. He was appreciated because he knew how to talk when he needed to, and to tell a lot of jokes. He was able to be witty all the time, helping to put things into perspective and not treat everything like a tragedy."

Raviglione said Lee "had very clear ideas of what he wanted to do and was really committed to the problems of international health."

"It is very sad that Dr Lee leaves us at a time when his leadership was much needed, given WHO's crucial role in addressing today's threats to global health," said the top U.N. AIDS official Peter Piot.

Lee is survived by his wife and a son.

____

Associated Press reporters Alexander G. Higgins, Bradley S. Klapper and Maurine B. Mercier contributed to this report.