Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus takes office as Director-General, WHO

The Director-General is WHO’s chief technical and administrative officer and oversees the policy for the Organisation’s international health work

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus takes office as Director-General of the World Health Organisation(WHO), succeeding Dr Margaret Chan, who has held office since January 1, 2007.

Prior to his election as WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros served from 2012–2016 as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia. In this role, he led the effort to negotiate the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, in which 193 countries committed to the financing necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr Ghebreyesus 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. He has 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.

Dr Ghebreyesus was elected on May 23, 2017, by vote of WHO Member States at the 70th World Health Assembly. It was the first time that Member States at the World Health Assembly selected a Director-General from among multiple candidates. In previous elections a single nominee was forwarded by the WHO Executive Board to the World Health Assembly for consideration.