Director General of WHO

  • January 12, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Director General of WHO

Subject – IR

Context – WHO chief stands uncontested for upcoming director general elections

Concept –

  • TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus, the current director-general (DG) of the World Health Organization (WHO), is set to be re-elected for his second term uncontested. He wad formerly the minister of health and family welfare of Ethiopia and was elected as the WHO-DG May 23, 2017.
    • His term began on July 1, 2017.
    • He is not the first one to stand uncontested. In 2012, Margaret Chan was re-elected for a second five-year term. She served in this capacity from 2006 to 2017.
  • The next DG will be appointed at the 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022, according to WHO election protocol.

About the Director-General

  • The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the chief executive officer of WHO 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).
  • The Director-General also leads the WHO Secretariat and is also the ex-officio Secretary of the World Health Assembly, the WHO Executive Board, and of all commissions and committees, and conferences convened by the organization.
  • Candidates for director-general can be proposed by member states, then nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the World Health Assembly.
    • Finally, a secret ballot takes place following which the DG is appointed at the World Health Assembly meeting.
  • The term of the director-general lasts for five years.
  • Office holders can be and have been appointed for multiple subsequent terms.

To know about World Health Organization, please refer September 2021 DPN.

Director General of WHO IR