TB advocates call for a competitive selection process that gives full consideration to a range of candidates to identify an experienced, change-oriented leader.
On 11 December 2017, TB advocates sent an open letter to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), recognizing his attention to TB and openness to hearing from civil society, and calling on him to lead a transparent, thoughtful process to determine the next WHO Global TB Program Director. Dr. Mario Raviglione, the previous TB Program Director, retired on 30 November 2017.
“…we urge you to lead a transparent process that gives full consideration to a range of candidates from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, to identify the best leader for WHO’s work with a range of constituents to end TB. This would include an opportunity to solicit the input of various stakeholders, including civil society, into the selection process.”
“We believe that a competitive, open process is needed to identify an experienced, change-oriented leader that is needed to drive forward evidence-based guidance and advance human rights in this pivotal moment on TB.”
To read the full letter, click here.
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On 15 December 2017, Dr. Tedros responded reassuring TB advocates of his intentions to "continue to listen and engage with all stakeholders”, including TB organizations and civil society, and announcing the appointment of the new WHO Global TB Program Director – Dr. Tereza Kasaeva.
“You and some of your colleagues suggest that the TB Director should be selected in the same manner as has been done in the past years. But with WHO facing urgent challenges – and unique opportunities such as the High-Level UN Meeting on TB – I felt strongly that we needed to fill these new director positions with high-quality individuals who could hit the ground running urgently, without waiting for the unusually long recruitment process.”
To read the full response, click here.