Four candidates including Rwanda’s Dr Richard Mihigo are contesting to become the next Regional Director for the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) African Region.
In an election that will take place between August 26-30 during WHO Africa’s seventy-fourth session, the regional committee which comprises health ministers of African member states, will vote to nominate the new regional director in a closed meeting in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
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The nomination will then be submitted to the WHO Executive Board which will sit in Geneva, Switzerland in January 2025.
The newly appointed Regional Director will take office in February 2025 for a five-year term and be eligible for reappointment once.
The New Times takes a look at the three candidates who will be up against Mihigo in the race for the office.
Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall (Senegal)
Dr Fall, 58, is currently the WHO Global Director for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD). Prior to this, he was WHO Assistant Director General for Emergency Response, appointed a year before the COVID-19 pandemic (in March 2019), where he led WHO’s global response to all emergencies, heading the incidence teams.
He holds a PhD in epidemiology and international health, a master’s in public health and many more academic accomplishments.
He has previously served in a number of positions at the WHO including working as its representative in Mali, and Regional Emergencies Director for the WHO and Director for Health Security and Emergencies in the African Region.
Dr Boureima Hama Sambo (Niger)
Dr Sambo, 64, is WHO’s Representative to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as Head of Mission. He has previously worked at the WHO headquarters on climate change.
He holds a PhD in epidemiology, and a degree in medicine.
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He has previously served as the WHO representative to DR Congo, Gabon and Ethiopia, as well as Programme Area Coordinator for NCDs for WHO Africa.
Sambo has worked as an Associate Professor of Diabetology and Epidemiology at the University of Florida, USA and as an Assistant Professor, Clinical Research, University of Oklahoma, USA.
Dr Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile (Tanzania)
Dr Ndugulile, 55, was Tanzania’s country’s Minister for Communication and Information Technology between December 2020 and September 2021 and has also served as a deputy minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.
He was also previously a Member of Parliament in his country.
Ndugulile is a medical doctor with a masters of medicine. He also holds a masters of public health.
The three candidates will be competing with Rwanda’s Mihigo, a medical doctor and a seasoned public health expert with expertise in immunisation. Among other qualifications, he holds a Master of Public Health in International Health from Boston University School of Public Health, USA.
He served in many positions, including as the Regional Coordinator of the Immunisation and Vaccine Development Programme at the WHO Regional Office for Africa from 2014 until early 2022.
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Between April 2022 and February 2024, Mihigo was the Global Lead and Senior Director for Covid-19 Vaccine Delivery, Coordination, and Integration at Gavi, a position he held until his recent bid for the candidacy to lead the WHO Africa Regional Office.
As he vies for the post, Mihigo envisions an African region where health is at the core of the development agenda, with universal health coverage, accelerated efforts to ensure quality, accessible, and affordable health care for all, through a strong primary health care system tailored to the needs of each African country.