Elected for the first time in May 2017, by theWorld Health Assembly, Ethiopian Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, now 57, is the first African to head one of the UN’s most important agencies. He is also the first director general of the WHO since its creation not to be a doctor.
A brother who died for lack of care
More commonly called “Dr. Tedros“, the head of the World Health Organization, did not study medicine, but he holds a doctorate in community health and a master’s degree in immunology of infectious diseases, obtained in Great Britain. Brittany. Born in the city of Asmara (capital of Eritrea), he grew up in a country where healthcare is not accessible to everyone. By presenting his candidacy to the UN agency in 2017, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he lost a brother when he was a child who did not receive the necessary medicines for his care.Upon his election, he made universal health coverage a priority.
Humbled & honored to be elected to serve a 2nd term as @WHO Director-General. I’m deeply grateful for the trust & confidence of Member States. I thank all #healthworkers & my @WHO colleagues around the . I look forward to continuing our journey together. #ProudToBeWHO #WHA75 pic.twitter.com/1L0GwkRKbc
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 24, 2022
“Translation: I am honored to have been elected for a second term as Director-General of WHO. I am deeply grateful for the trust placed by Member States. I thank all health workers and my colleagues around the world. I look forward to continuing this mission with you.”
scientist and diplomat
Before arriving at the head of the WHO, this specialist in biology and infectiology was Minister of Health in Ethiopia from 2005, then Minister of Foreign Affairs until 2016. But this fine diplomat above all scored points on the international level when he headed the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2009. According to the WHO, it would have won record funding. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also considered today as a recognized specialist in malaria and HIV.
A field man
In his biography, Dr. Tedros is presented as a “expert in emergency response during an epidemic”. He went through a first ordeal with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018. In addition to a major mobilization to curb the disease, he went to the field several times to support WHO operations. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus did the same in China as soon as the Coronavirus epidemic was officially announced in early 2020. Since then, the Director General of the WHO has managed a global health crisis. He who has already known and fought against malaria, AIDS and Ebola in Africa, relies on solidarity to defeat the pandemic. An approach particularly appreciated on the Continent.
His first term was marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. An unprecedented crisis that did not deter him from running for a second term. His next challenge will be to strengthen the UN agency to better prevent and manage future epidemics.