Tedros reveals new WHO leadership without deputy Mike Ryan

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Wednesday his new leadership team after weeks of anticipation. Tedros is letting go of most of his current assistant directors-general as well as his deputy, Dr. Mike Ryan. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu will replace Ryan as executive director of the health emergencies program, Dr. Yukiko Nakatani will become assistant director-general for health systems, and Raul Thomas will remain as assistant director-general for business operations and compliance. Dr. Jeremy Farrar will take over as assistant director-general for health promotion and disease prevention and control. Dr. Sylvie Briand, WHO director of global pandemic preparedness and monitoring, will take over Farrar’s chief scientist role. Tedros is keeping Dr. Razia Pendse, as chef de cabinet. The changes will take effect from June 16. In remarks to member states at the 42nd meeting of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board, Tedros said the new team “has been chosen after very careful consideration, and to ensure gender balance and geographical representation.” “This was, as you can imagine, an extremely difficult and painful decision for me, as it is for every manager in our organization who is having to decide who stays, and who goes,” he said. But he said he’s “confident” that the new team “is best positioned to now guide WHO as we face the challenges of the coming years.” This is the latest in WHO’s efforts to restructure as it faces deep funding gaps in its budget. In March, Tedros told staff that WHO is scaling back its work and workforce, including its senior leadership. In April, he said the senior leadership team will be reduced from 12 to seven. This is just the beginning, however. WHO is downsizing, from 76 to 34 departments — which means it will be letting go of directors next. Tedros said the decision on which directors will lead departments will be made after the 78th World Health Assembly.