BRAZZAVILLE, Congo – Former Deputy Minister for Health and current Kigamboni MP, Dr. Faustine Ndugulile, has been elected the new WHO Regional Director for Africa after delivering a powerful and inspiring speech at the 74th Session of the WHO Afro Regional Committee.
In his address, Dr. Ndugulile presented himself as a dedicated candidate committed to driving transformative change across the continent.
He opened his speech with high praise for the achievements under the outgoing director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, particularly in reducing maternal and infant mortality, combating TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and addressing neglected tropical diseases.
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Dr. Ndugulile expressed his deep gratitude to Dr. Moeti for her commendable work.
Despite these achievements, Dr. Ndugulile highlighted critical challenges that still confront the region, including insufficient progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), financial constraints, a shortage of healthcare workers, and the impacts of emerging diseases and climate change. He emphasized the urgent need for a new direction to address these issues effectively.
In the election held today in Brazzaville, Dr. Ndugulile secured 25 out of 46 votes from delegates attending the 74th WHO Regional Committee Meeting, defeating candidates from Niger and Senegal.
Dr. Ndugulile outlined his priorities as the new Regional Director, which include ensuring access to quality healthcare for all, enhancing Africa’s preparedness for epidemic outbreaks, strengthening accountability within WHO’s Africa region, and improving communication and collaboration among member states on health matters.
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