An Ethiopian medical doctor, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has been elected the new Director-General of the World Health Organisation.
Ghebreyesus, who was nominated by the Government of Ethiopia and will begin his five-year term on 1 July, was elected Tuesday as the first African to occupy the position.
He had served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia from 2012-2016 and as Minister of Health from 2005-2012. He also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board, and co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.
As Minister of Health, Ghebreyesus led a comprehensive reform effort of Ethiopia’s health system, including the expansion of the country’s health infrastructure, creating 3500 health centres and 16 000 health posts.
The reform also led to the expansion of the East African country’s health workforce by 38 000 health extension workers; and initiation of financing mechanisms to expand health insurance coverage.
