Devex: Africa’s turn to pick the next WHO chief? Not so fast
“African countries will play a key role in the World Health Organization’s efforts to reform global pandemic response under a new leader, to be elected in May 2017. The continent wields an impressive voting bloc — 54 of 194 states — in the first-ever ballot of member states. Unwritten rules of courtesy at the WHO also stipulate regions ‘take turns’ filling the slot of director general — and Africa’s on tap. But amid political jockeying, and emerging new public health initiatives, that may not be enough to elect Tedros Adhanom from Ethiopia, who is seen as the African candidate…” (Anders, 12/1).