WHO Africa to Decide on New Regional Director Process Following Shock Death of Candidate Africa 13/01/2025 • Kerry Cullinan Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Dr Faustine Ndugulile (centre) flanked by outgoing WHO Africa The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Africa regional committee meets on Tuesday (14 January) to decide on the process for nominating a new regional director following the shock death of Dr Faustine Ndugulile. Ndugulile was elected regional director at the WHO Africa regional conference in the Republic of Congo last August. His appointment was due to be ratified by the WHO’s Executive Board meeting next month, but he died in India in late November while undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed condition. The sole focus of Tuesday’s special virtual meeting of the WHO Africa region is to work out how the next regional director, who serves for five years, should be chosen. Ndugulile secured 25 of the 46 votes at the August conference, defeating Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall (proposed by Senegal), Dr Richard Mihigo (proposed by Rwanda) and Dr Boureima Hama Sambo (proposed by Niger). There are 47 member states in the WHO Africa region as seven North African countries that are predominantly Muslim are part of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. The regional meeting needs to decide whether it will re-open nominations for the position, hold new elections based on the three remaining candidates or simply choose the runner-up as the next regional director. According to the WHO’s Constitution, regional committees “shall adopt their own rules of procedure (Article 49)”. Meanwhile, Article 52 stipulates: “The head of the regional office shall be the Regional Director appointed by the Board in agreement with the regional committee.” “Both the Regional Committee and the Executive Board have a role in the process. The Regional Committee nominates a candidate, and the Executive Board appoints the Regional Director. The Regional Committee and Executive Board are each responsible for their own part in the process,” according to a WHO spokesperson. However, the WHO did comment on questions related to the likely process or whether the incumbent, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, will remain in the position until the new candidate is appointed. Moeti has served two terms (10 years) as regional director and is not eligible for re-election. The remaining three candidates have all worked for the WHO in various capacities. Socé Fall is currently Director of the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases at WHO headquarters in Geneva. Mihigo is the vaccine alliance, Gavi’s Senior Director of Programmatic and Strategic Engagement with the African Union and Africa CDC, but has also worked for WHO Africa. Sambo is the WHO Representative to The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Combat the infodemic in health information and support health policy reporting from the global South. Our growing network of journalists in Africa, Asia, Geneva and New York connect the dots between regional realities and the big global debates, with evidence-based, open access news and analysis. To make a personal or organisational contribution click here on PayPal.