WHO elects first ever African director, former Ethiopian health minister Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Former Ethiopian health minister Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was elected on May 23, 2017, as the World Health Organisation’s first ever director-general from Africa. He replaces Margaret Chan, who will step down from her 10-year post at the end of June 2017.
Tedros served in the government of Ethiopia as Minister of Health from 2005 to 2012 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2016. He has a long career at the UN, where he has played an important role in a number of epidemics. He chaired the advisory committee set up by the outgoing WHO Director General Margaret Chan, which put in place a blueprint for reform.
After the all the scandales related to the slow response by the WHO to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014/2015, we hope that he will bring great insight and the political leadership necessary to restore trust in the WHO. He promised reform of the WHO.
Addressing the World Health Assembly shortly before his nomination, Dr Tedros promised to respond to future emergencies “rapidly and effectively”.
Source: The Guardian
