- Title: WHO votes for a new leader of global health
- Date: 23rd May 2017
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MAY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
- Embargoed: 6th June 2017 16:42
- Keywords: Sania Nishtar David Nabarro Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Margaret Chan director-general vote WHO World Health Organization
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0036I29K5J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: World Health Organization member states began voting on Tuesday (May 23) for the next director-general, with an Ethiopian candidate vying to be the first African to head the United Nations agency.
The two candidates made their final pitches to run the WHO which is tasked with combating outbreaks and chronic diseases.
Margaret Chan, a former Hong Kong health director who has led the WHO for 10 years, steps down on June 30 leaving a mixed legacy after WHO's slow response to West Africa's Ebola epidemic in 2013-2016 which killed 11,300 people.
Health ministers from 186 states have a choice of two nominees to replace Chan as director-general - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia and David Nabarro of Britain. A third candidate, Sania Nishtar of Pakistan was eliminated in the first round of voting.
The voting may continue for several rounds, with a winner expected late on Tuesday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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