TANZANIA: THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has named Tanzania’s Senior Advisor on Health Matters to the President, Prof Mohamed Janabi, as one of candidates for the position of WHO Regional Director for Africa.
According to the list unveiled by WHO, Prof Janabi, the sole candidate from Sub-Saharan Africa will compete with other four candidates from West African countries.
The candidates are Dr N’da Konan Michel Yao from Ivory Coast, Dr Dramé Mohammed Lamine from Guinea, Dr Boureima Hama Sambo from Niger and Prof Mijiyawa Moustafa from Togo.
Prof Janabi, who is also Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) Executive Director represents Tanzania in competing for a new director following the death of Regional Director elect, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, on November 27, 2024.
According to an announcement by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, the names of the candidates were sent by WHO DirectorGeneral Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to the relevant Member States on Friday.
Following the death of Dr Ndugulile, WHO Regional Committee for Africa held a special session virtually on January14, 2025 to decide on the procedure of the election of the next Regional Director.
The Committee decided on an accelerated procedure to nominate and appoint the next Regional Director. Member States were invited to submit proposals for the post of Regional Director by February 28, this year. Thereafter, a virtual live candidates’ forum will be held on 2 April 2025.
An in-person special session of the Regional Committee for Africa will be convened on May 18, this year in Geneva to nominate the next regional director.
On August 2024, the late Dr Ndugulile stood out as the Africa Regional Director elect secured 25 votes out of 46 from the delegate attended the 74th WHO Regional Committee meeting putting Tanzania on the map, as he defeated candidates from Niger and Senegal.
Dr Ndugulile passed away on November 27, 2024, just days before he was scheduled to take the oath of office in March, this year.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced Prof Janabi as a suitable candidate for the WHO’s top post in the continent.
President Samia disclosed the decision in Zanzibar on December 2024, during an oath-taking ceremony at Tunguu State Lodge and directed Prof Janabi to prepare to compete for the position when the time comes.
“Let me reveal this today, we reviewed more than five CVs, after which we concluded that Prof Janabi is well-suited to take over from Dr Ndugulile. Therefore, we are preparing you to vie for this position when the time comes. Be ready,” Dr Samia was quoted as saying.
Prof Janabi has served as MNH Executive Director since October 2022 to date and lately was appointed as the Senior Advisor on Health Matters to the President.
Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) from its establishment in 2015 until September 2022, where he was instrumental in positioning the institute as a premier cardiac care centre in East Africa.
Notably, Prof Janabi has been the personal physician to the former President Jakaya Kikwete from 2005 to 2015, demonstrating his expertise and trustworthiness at the highest levels of leadership.
He is also an esteemed faculty member at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) since 2000 and at the Medical University of South Carolina, USA, since 2003.
Beyond his clinical and academic work, Prof Janabi has made significant contributions to corporate governance.
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He serves on the boards of major institutions, including MUHAS, the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, the Ocean Road Cancer Institute and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).
