Why Africa's WHO leadership void comes with extra challenges

It has been just over seven months since the late Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile was elected regional director for Africa at the World Health Organisation (WHO), an office he was to officially assume this February, amid immense anticipation for his vision and leadership.

Ndugulile's sudden passing on November 27 last year has prompted WHO Africa to renew its search for a regional director against a different global backdrop, demanding from the aspirants a broader set of attributes to navigate the new dynamics.

Experts view Donald Trump's return as US President and some of his executive decisions as having far-reaching repercussions on healthcare financing, including in Africa.

"We are facing unforeseen circumstances in terms of financing for global health. "Activity in the sector is changing direction quicker than expected," Maziko Matemba, a health rights activist from Malawi, tells TRT Afrika.

Trump factor

Within days of assuming office, President Trump signed executive orders to freeze foreign funding and withdraw the US's financial support to the WHO.

Both decisions dealt a significant blow to health programmes worldwide, alongside other security and development projects.

As Matemba points out, WHO being "in a very difficult situation at the moment" portends a major impact on healthcare projects across Africa.

"The task is cut out for WHO's new Africa director. Among the appointee's first tasks is an analysis of the void created by American funding decisions, determining the critical areas, and identifying which partners to engage with to close that gap," he explains.

For a continent bearing a huge disease burden while battling over 100 health emergencies annually, controlling disease outbreaks and strengthening health systems remain top priorities.

The ideal candidate

While a perfect fit for any assignment is hard to find, Matemba believes that the next regional director of WHO Africa would be "someone who understands and appreciates joining the organisation at a particularly challenging time both at the global and regional levels."

With a significant funding gap to fill, healthcare experts say that the incumbent must also demonstrate the ability to secure all the necessary resources for the sector to achieve its goals.

"The elected appointee must also be a good diplomat and a serious advocate for health in Africa," says Matemba.

"One of the priorities is getting African governments to increase their resources for health and pay for subscriptions to WHO Africa. Diplomacy will be critical, as most African countries are currently not on the same page on this."

Another attribute that Matemba believes the incumbent must possess is a desire to embrace data and digital innovations.

"The new candidate also needs to have a solid understanding of Africa's health systems and its diverse socio-economic and political realities," he says.

According to Matemba, the ideal candidate would be someone who is accommodating of the views and ideas of different stakeholders in the region, including civil society, the private sector, communities, and the media.

"At the end of the day, we want African countries to be able to minimise outbreaks and strengthen our health systems," he tells TRT Afrika.

To achieve that, allocation to the health sector must be adequate, and communities need to be well-equipped to reduce infections and outbreaks.

The candidates

Four nations — Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Togo and Tanzania — have each nominated a candidate for the election to replace the late Ndugulile as WHO Africa's next regional director.

Côte d'Ivoire's nominee, Dr N'Da Konan Michel Yao, boasts a résumé highlighted by his 27 years of experience as a public health expert and his official travels to 33 countries across the continent.

Dr Mohamed Lamine Dramé, proposed by Guinea, is a public health specialist who hopes to convince the panel of health ministers conducting the interviews in April that he can ensure Africa transitions from crises to resilience under his leadership.

Tanzania's candidate, Prof Mohamed Yakub Janabi, describes himself as a cardiologist, public health specialist and an innovator keen on leveraging technology and international partnerships to improve healthcare in resource-limited settings.

Prof Moustafa Mijiyawa of Togo headed the country's health ministry for slightly over a year, has practiced rheumatology for 25 years, and boasts 150 works and publications, including a book to his name.

Matemba says that whoever among the four candidates takes the post must be aware that "as African citizens, we will demand a lot from them."

"I think the new director needs to look around and seek a consensus on what can work in Africa in the current environment, running parallel with the continent reviewing its budgetary allocations to earmark more domestic resources for health," explains Matemba.

This is a challenge that countries across the continent must overcome – alongside the battle against climate change, internal conflict, and a host of socio-economic challenges – to achieve a healthier, more prosperous Africa.