We at the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) would like to congratulate Dr. Tedros Adhanom in his latest success becoming the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO).  Winning more votes than the two other candidates combined, Dr. Tedros will begin his five years term as Director General beginning July 1, 2017. 

Prior to his election as WHO’s next Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia from 2012–2016 and as Minister of Health, Ethiopia from 2005–2012. He has also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; as chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board; and as co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

As Minister of Health, Ethiopia, Dr Tedros Adhanom led a comprehensive reform effort of the country's health system, including the expansion of the country’s health infrastructure, creating 3500 health centers and 16 000 health posts; expanded the health workforce by 38 000 health extension workers; and initiated financing mechanisms to expand health insurance coverage. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he led the effort to negotiate the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, in which 193 countries committed to the financing necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

As Chair of the Global Fund and of RBM, Dr Tedros Adhanom secured record funding for the two organizations and created the Global Malaria Action Plan, which expanded RBM’s reach beyond Africa to Asia and Latin America.

Dr Tedros Adhanom will succeed Dr Margaret Chan, who has been WHO’s Director-General since 1 January 2007.

We at ESOG believe that the decision of members states to elect Dr. Tedros Adhanom as the next Director General of WHO is not only the right one, but also the timely one.

We congratulate Dr. Tedros again and wish him all the success in his future endeavor.