Zim endorses new WHO boss Dr Parirenyatwa
Dr Parirenyatwa

Dr Parirenyatwa

Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe has congratulated the new World Health Organisation director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom of Ethiopia, who recently won an election with 133 votes against Dr Sania Nishtar from Pakistan and Dr David Nabarro from the United Kingdom.

Dr Adhanom became the first African to take up the top post of director-general in WHO and will be taking over from Dr Margaret Chan of South Korea, who steps down after her five-year term.

Speaking after Dr Adhanom’s success at the 70th World Health Assembly underway in Geneva, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa applauded fellow African ministers of health for supporting Dr Adhanom throughout his campaign. “Zimbabwe wishes him a successful five-year term at the WHO and appreciation also goes to fellow African ministers of health for their joint and unwavering support for Dr Tedros during the campaign,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

He said the country was happy to host the 67th WHO Regional Conference slatted for Victoria Falls in August this year. Dr Parirenyatwa said preparations were well on course and the country was confident that the meeting would be a great success. “Let me at this point acknowledge and thank WHO and our fellow African states for reposing this trust in our country,” he said. “We will not disappoint you.”

Prior to his election, Dr Adhanom served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ethiopia from 2012-2016, and as Minister of Health from 2005-2012. He also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 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.

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