Ghebreyesus takes over as new WHO chief
GENEVA, July 1, 2017
World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as the new director-general of the global healthcare body. He replaces Dr Margaret Chan, who has held office since January 1, 2007.
Dr Ghebreyesus was WHO's chief technical and administrative officer and was overseeing the policy for the organization's international health work.
He was elected on May 23, by vote of WHO member states at the Seventieth World Health Assembly. It was the first time that member states at the World Health Assembly selected a director-general from among multiple candidates, said a statement from WHO.
In previous elections a single nominee was forwarded by the WHO executive board to the World Health Assembly for consideration.
Prior to this, Dr Ghebreyesus served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia from 2012–2016. In that role, he spearheaded efforts to negotiate the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, in which 193 countries committed to the finanial aid necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, it stated.
He also served as Minister of Health in Ethiopia from 2005–2012 where he led a comprehensive reform effort of the country’s health system, including the expansion of the country’s health infrastructure, said the statement.
Ghebreyesus also served as chair of the board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; as chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board; and as co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
