WHO To Elect New UN Health Chief

World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries gathered Tuesday to elect a new UN health chief, who will be tasked with reforming the agency in Geneva.

For the first time in the WHO’s history, the 194 member countries were not presented with one nominee for Director-General, but with three candidates who have gone through a hotly contested election process.

The candidates are: Ethiopian former foreign and health minister Tedros Ghebreyesus, British UN health crisis manager David Nabarro and Pakistani cardiologist and former health minister Sania Nishtar.

Tedros was considered the favourite among the three, since an African has never before led the UN health agency.
He is backed by the African Union.

An associate of Nabarro charged last week that Tedros had covered up cholera outbreaks in his country.

While Nabarro distanced himself from the accusation, Tedros rejected the claim as a smear campaign.

The winner, who will be selected by the evening, will be tasked with continuing reforms to ensure that the WHO can react more quickly to global health emergencies.

Outgoing Director-General Margaret Chan of Hong Kong came under criticism for her organization’s slow response to the Ebola emergency in West Africa.