Ethiopia's Tedros wins WHO race, first African to get top job

Record ID: 876646

  • Title: Ethiopia's Tedros wins WHO race, first African to get top job
  • Date: 23rd May 2017
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MAY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) WHO SIGN BLURRING
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2017 22:44
  • Keywords: tedros ethiopia WHO
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA0056I2AURR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won on Tuesday (May 23) the race to be the next head of the World Health Organization (WHO), becoming the first African to lead the Geneva-based United Nations agency.
    The former health minister and foreign minister, who vowed to make universal health care his priority, won over half the votes from 189 member states in the first round and prevailed in a third-round ballot against Britain's David Nabarro.
    Tedros, as he is widely known, told health ministers at the WHO's annual assembly after his election that making health care universal would be his central priority.
    Six candidates sought to take the helm at the WHO, which is tasked with combating disease outbreaks and chronic illnesses.
    Tedros will begin his five-year term after Margaret Chan, a former Hong Kong health director, steps down on June 30.
    Chan leaves a mixed legacy after her 10 years on the job, especially because of WHO's slow response to West Africa's ebola epidemic in 2013-2016, which killed 11,300 people.
    Tedros was widely seen as having the support of about 50 African votes, but questions about his role in restricting human rights and Ethiopia's cover-up of a cholera outbreak surfaced late in the race, threatening to tarnish his appeal.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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