Director-General of the World Health Organization

The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) heads the World Health Organization and is appointed by, and responsible to the World Health Assembly (WHA).[1] The current director-general is Tedros Adhanom, who was appointed on 1 July 2017.[2] The Director-General leads the WHO Secretariat and is also the ex-officio Secretary of the World Health Assembly, the WHO Executive Board, and of all commissions and committees, and conferences convened by the organization.[3]

Director-General of the World Health Organization
Incumbent
Tedros Adhanom
since 1 July 2017
Reports toWorld Health Assembly
Term length5 years, renewable
DeputyDeputy Director-General

Selection process

Candidates for director-general can be proposed by member states, then nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the World Health Assembly.[4]

The term of the director-general lasts for five years. Office holders can be and have been appointed for multiple subsequent terms, such as Marcolino Gomes Candau who served for four consecutive terms. The director-general is typically appointed in May, when the WHA meets.

Flag of the World Health Organization
Logo of the World Health Organization

List of Directors-General of the WHO[5]
No. Image Name and nationality Tenure
1 Brock Chisholm1948–1953
2 Marcolino Gomes Candau1953–1973
3 Halfdan T. Mahler1973–1988
4 Hiroshi Nakajima1988–1998
5 Gro Harlem Brundtland1998–2004
6 Lee Jong-wook2004–2006
– Anders Nordström*2006–2007
7 Margaret Chan2007–2017
8 Tedros Adhanom2017–Incumbent
*Appointed acting Director-General following the death of Lee Jong-wook while in office

References
  1. "WHO Governance". WHO.
  2. "World Health Assembly elects Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as new WHO Director-General". WHO.
  4. "World Health Organization Director-General selection: frequently asked questions". WHO. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. "Former Directors-General". who.int. WHO. Archived from the original on 11 June 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
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