Africa, where viruses such as HIV, Ebola and Zika emerged, has its first chief of the United Nations health agency.
Ethiopian Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was voted as the Director General of the World Health Organization after winning over 66% of the required votes defeating his closest challenger, UK’s David Nabarro.
Ghebrysus was voted in on Tuesday in Geneva during a closed door session of the World Health Assembly by health ministers from 186 United Nations member countries, who cast their votes in secret.
Tedros won the most votes after two more rounds against Nabarro.
The third candidate, Pakistan’s Dr. Sania Nishtar, was eliminated after the first round.
“The world’s most powerful health agency needs a leader who advocates for gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights as a net positive for all”.
“All roads should lead to universal health coverage”, he told the World Health Assembly before Tuesday’s vote.
His top priorities under his leadership include transforming WHO into a more effective, transparent and accountable agency; advancing universal health coverage; improving health security to detect, prevent, and manage health emergencies; improving the well-being of women, children and adolescents; and better understanding and addressing the effects of climate and environmental change on health.
Dr. David Nabarro delivered his last pitch for the job of World Health Organization director-general moments before its assembly was to choose between him, Ethiopia’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Dr. Sania Nishtar of Pakistan. “I will not rest until we have met this”.
In her final address to WHO’s member states, she acknowledged that mistakes had been made during her decade at the helm, but stressed that while “we falter sometimes. we never give up”.
All three candidates vying to replace Dr Chan have vowed to push ahead with reforms. Nine others either were in arrears on their dues or not represented at the gathering.
Nominated by the Ethiopian government, Tedros, as he is reportedly known as, will take charge in July, for a five-year term.
“Overall, the new Director-General must steer the World Health Organization to a stronger position where it delivers a balance of sound policy guidance and efficient, effective operations”, Castro said.
GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, hailed Tedros’ “commitment to immunization”, noting the boosting vaccination rates in Ethiopia. Read more here
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