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Director-General of the World Health Organization

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The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the chief executive officer of the World Health Organization and the principal advisor to the United Nations on matters pertaining global health. The director general is elected by and answers to the World Health Assembly (WHA).[1] The current director-general is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was appointed on 1 July 2017,[2] and re-appointed on 24 May 2022.[3] The Director-General also leads the World Health Organization Secretariat and is also the ex-officio Secretary of the World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization Executive Board, and of all commissions and committees, and conferences convened by the Organization.[4]

Director-General of the World Health Organization
Logo of the World Health Organization
Flag of the World Health Organization
since 1 July 2017
World Health Organization Secretariat
StyleHonourable
StatusHead of World Health
Member ofWorld Health Organization
Reports toWorld Health Assembly
NominatorExecutive Board
AppointerWorld Health Assembly
Term length5 years, renewable
Formation7 April 1948; 76 years ago (1948-04-07)
First holderBrock Chisholm
DeputyDeputy Director-General

Selection process

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Candidates for Director-General can be proposed by Member States, then nominated by the executive board and appointed by the World Health Assembly.[5]

The appointment process begins more than one year prior to the May vote, when the World Health Organization sends out a letter informing Member States that the nomination process has begun. The nomination period ends in mid-September, and candidates are announced at the end of October. If there are multiple candidates, the executive board of the World Health Organization — a panel of members from 34 member countries representing the various World Health Organization regions — interviews the nominees.[6]

The term of the Director-General lasts for five years. Office holders can be and have been appointed for multiple subsequent terms, such as Marcolino Gomes Candau who served for four consecutive terms. The Director-General is typically appointed in May, when the World Health Assembly meets.[citation needed]

List of Directors-General of the World Health Organization

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  Denotes service as acting director
No.[7] Image Nationality Name Tenure
1     Canada Brock Chisholm 1948–1953
2     Brazil Marcolino Gomes Candau 1953–1973
3     Denmark Halfdan T. Mahler 1973–1988
4   Japan Hiroshi Nakajima
中嶋 宏		 1988–1998
5     Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland 21 July 1998 – 28 January 2003
6     South Korea Lee Jong-wook
이종욱		 28 January 2003 – 23 May 2006
–   Sweden Anders Nordström* 23 May 2006 – 9 November 2006
7     Hong Kong Margaret Chan
陳馮富珍		 9 November 2006 – 30 June 2017
8     Ethiopia Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
ቴዎድሮስ አድሓኖም ገብረኢየሱስ		 2017–Incumbent
*Appointed acting Director-General following the death of Lee Jong-wook while in office

References

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  1. ^ "WHO Governance". WHO.
  2. ^ "World Health Assembly elects Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as new WHO Director-General". WHO.
  3. ^ "Tedros re-elected to lead the World Health Organization". UN News. 24 May 2022.
  4. ^ Constitution of the World Health Organization Basic Documents, 45th edition, Supplement, October 2006 Archived 21 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "World Health Organization Director-General selection: frequently asked questions". WHO. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. ^ Branswell, Helen (3 May 2021). "WHO's Tedros plans to seek reelection, setting up referendum on his leadership". STAT News.
  7. ^ "Former Directors-General". who.int. WHO. Archived from the original on 11 June 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
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