PARIS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- French President Jacques Chirac congratulated on Thursday the election of Margaret Chan as the next director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Chan has devoted herself to the advancement of health, the fight against such epidemic diseases as SARS and bird flu, Chirac said in his letter of congratulation.

    The WHO on Wednesday nominated Margaret Chan, former health chief of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as its next director-general.

    Chan was elected with 150 votes in favor, well surpassing the two-thirds majority needed at a special session of the agency's governing World Health Assembly in Geneva Thursday.

    Chan, 59, is expected to take office in January for a five-year term.