WHO names new directors in ongoing restructure

The World Health Organization has filled several key director positions in its new organizational chart, which shows some familiar names taking on new and expanded roles, while others are exiting the U.N. agency. The new directors were announced early this week in an internal memo, seen by Devex and first reported by Health Policy Watch. The announcement is part of WHO’s ongoing restructuring in response to significant donor funding cuts, notably from the United States. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in April he’s cutting down on his senior management and downsizing WHO departments from 76 to 34. In May, just before the 78th World Health Assembly, Tedros announced a smaller leadership team. WHO staff members have been anticipating the directors’ appointments since the annual gathering. Under the new structure, Dr. Katherine O’Brien will remain as director of immunization, vaccines, and biologicals; Dr. Rogério Gaspar as director of prequalification and regulation of medicines and health products; Imre Hollo as director of planning, budget and grant management; and Derek Walton as WHO’s legal counsel. Dr. Jamal Ahmed, who was appointed as WHO director for polio eradication in March, will also remain in the role. Several departments have been combined and, therefore, will have directors with expanded roles. Dr. Etienne Krug will take on an expanded role as director of both health promotion and social determinants; Kalipso Chalkidou as director of governance, financing, economics, primary health care, and universal health coverage; Gaudenz Silberschmidt as director of partnerships, resource mobilization, and envoy for multilateral affairs; Alain Labrique as director of data and analytics, digital health, and delivery for impact; and Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, who has led WHO’s global program on tuberculosis, will be director of HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. Alia El-Yassir will continue as director of gender equality, human rights, health equity, and prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse. Meanwhile, Dr. Meg Doherty, who has led WHO’s work on HIV, hepatitis, and STIs, will take on a new position as director of science, research, evidence, and quality for health under the office of the chief scientist. Several positions remain vacant and will be led by acting heads. This includes key director positions for internal oversight services and evaluation, communications, financial management, governing bodies, environmental health, health systems, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs, and mental health. The NCDs department has been led by a temporary lead since the departure last year of Dr. Bente Mikkelsen. Dévora Kestel will serve as the new acting head of the combined department of NCDs and mental health. Dr. Gaya Gamhewage, previously director of prevention and response to sexual misconduct at WHO, will serve as acting head of communications, taking over from Gabriella Stern, who is retiring. Dr. Rüdiger Krech, previously director of health promotion, will be acting as head of environmental health, replacing Dr. Maria Neira, who is also reportedly retiring. Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, who led WHO’s work on neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs, announced earlier in the week that he is leaving the agency to take on a new role as chief executive officer of the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal. Dr. Daniel Madandi, who’s been leading WHO’s malaria program since 2023, will serve as acting head of both malaria and NTDs. In the memo, Tedros said that in the next phase of the organizational restructuring, “each ADG [assistant director-general] and the newly appointed director will finalize the names for the division and departments. They will also lead the next phase of the restructuring over the coming weeks.”