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.