WHO elects Ethiopia’s Ghebreyesus as its new director-general | Health - Hindustan Times
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WHO elects Ethiopia’s Ghebreyesus as its new director-general

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
May 24, 2017 10:56 AM IST

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was elected by 194 countries, which are a part of the WHO, through a secret ballot that took place at the World Health Assembly that opened in Geneva.

Ethiopia’s former minister of health Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has become the first African to be elected the director-general of the United Nations’ public health agency.

New World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (L), waves after his election in front of outgoing Director General China's Margaret Chan (R), during the World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 23, 2017, in Geneva.(AFP Photo)
New World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (L), waves after his election in front of outgoing Director General China's Margaret Chan (R), during the World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 23, 2017, in Geneva.(AFP Photo)

Ghebreyesus was elected by 194 countries, which are a part of the WHO, through a secret ballot that took place on Tuesday at the World Health Assembly that opened in Geneva on Monday.

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Dr David Nabarro of the United Kingdom and Dr Sania Nishtar of Pakistan were the other 2 among the 3 people shortlisted for the position.

Ghebreyesus was nominated by the government of Ethiopia and will begin his five-year term on July 1. He will be taking over the position from Dr Margaret Chan, who was in charge of the agency since January 1, 2007.

Ghebreyesus served as Ethiopia’s minister of health from 2005-2012 and also as the minister of foreign affairs from 2012-2016. He was also chair of the board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board, and co-chair of the board of the partnership for maternal, newborn and child health.

Ghebreyesus as the minister of health led a comprehensive reform effort of the country’s health system, including the expansion of the country’s health infrastructure and initiated financing mechanisms to expand health insurance coverage.

As the Ethiopian foreign minister, he was also involved in the negotiations for the Addis Ababa Action Agenda in which 193 countries committed to the financing necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals spearheaded by the UN.

He secured record funding for the 2 organisations as the chair of the Global Fund and of RBM and created the Global Malaria Action Plan that expanded RBM’s reach beyond Africa to Asia and Latin America.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Rhythma Kaul works as an assistant editor at Hindustan Times. She covers health and related topics, including ministry of health and family welfare, government of India.

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