Daily Times

LONDON: Dr David Nabbarroa is likely to hold office of the World Health Organisation (WHO) director general in a hotly contested election to be held at the end of May in Geneva, Switzerland.

Health ministers of 194 nations will vote in their annual assembly to elect the new DG who will replace incumbent Dr Margart Chan, a Chinese and Canadian national, who has served two consecutive terms. Dr David Nabarro is currently serving as special adviser to the United Nation Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for sustainable Development and climate. Also currently serves as special representative of the United Nations Secretary General for food Security and Nutrition.

While talking to online in foreign and Common Wealth Office here in Westminster on Tuesday, Dr David said, “Our world is challenged by a changing climate, violent conflict, persistent poverty and mass migration. The benefits of globalisation and new technologies remain unequally shared. As a result, people face an over growing avalanche of threats to their health. I have worked on such issues over 40 years, I see it, the need for a robust, reliable and responsive WHO has never been more urgent.”

Dr David’s over four decades working experience makes him distinguish than two other candidates in race for DG office. He had served as the advisory group chair on reforms of the WHO work in outbreak and emergencies with health and humanitarian consequences, Served as coordinator of the movement to scale up nutrition, have been member of commission on ending childhood obesity, special envoy of they United Nations Secretary General on Ebola, Coordinator of the UN system high level task force on food security, UN system senior coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza (Assistant Secretary General).Also served WHO’s health emergencies group(health action in crises, and special representative of Director -General, and served as head of WHO cluster on sustainable development and health environment. Moreover David served as Executive Director, office of the WHO Director General and Excusive Director, WHO Roll Back Malaria (RBM) programme.

Dr David has served as director, human development, chief health and population adviser, UK Government Department for International Development from 1990-1999. His experience as padiatritation, skills to address infant mortality rate, financial management and budget allocation, and expertise to devise comprehensive strategy to overcome death rate of expectant mothers and infants will benefit world communities

Replying a question Dr David said that he will initiate reforms by engaging member states to address the social economic issue causing communicable and non communicable diseases. David has clear picture to address global health care, health and environment issues by introducing the reforms in the developing countries.

It would be worth mentioning that Dr Davidhas won 2015 Helen Keller Humanitarian Award. This award was for work on positioning malnutrition within the development dialogue and for ensuring an effective response to Ebola, 2012 sight and life Nutrition Leadership Award, 2008 distinguished service award from health policy institute Kansas University of Medicine and Biosciences and 1992 CBE award for work on International Public health.

Moreover in November 2016 with the support of Rockefeller Foundation, the global health programme at the council of Foreign Relations hosted a three part round table series “The Next Director-General of the World Health Organization.” Speakers were invited the skills and qualities needed in the organization’s next leader. Following the convening of this series, CRF administered an online survey to individuals affiliated with international organizations, non-profits, foundations, academia, and the private sector, majority of whom have expressed their confidence and trust in Dr. David.

There are currently two candidates nominated by their respective countries Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu and Dr Sania Nishtar. Tedros is an Ethiopian politician, academic, public health authority who served in the government of Ethiopia as Minister of and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Sania Nishtar is a Pakistani cardiologist, author and activist who served in the interim federal cabinet in 2013 overseeing public health, education and science. Sources in UK foreign office told Online that UK diplomates have been playing active role globally to convince member states to vote for Dr David.