TO mark Africa Day on Thursday, May 25, Toyin Saraki, founder-president of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and the wife of Nigerian Senate president formally congratulated Tedros Adhanom, a doctor and the new WHO Director-General. Toyin Saraki said:  “On Africa Day, I would like to celebrate and congratulate our first African WHO Director General Dr.Tedros Adhanom.”

“My support for Dr.Tedros goes beyond borders, and beyond being a fellow African. I believe that Dr.Tedros is capable and qualified candidate, with a national health track record that is formidable.  Unlike any other WHO Director-General candidate, Tedros is a former Minister of Health and brings a mountain of knowledge and successes from his previous position in Ethiopia. During his time as the Minister of Health, he helped create a strong and resilient primary healthcare system and also cut maternal mortality rate by two-thirds which many other African countries failed to do so.”

Saraki said further: “Not only successful nationally, Tedros has also succeeded in international health, leading UNAIDS, PMNCH, and the Global Fund. At the Global Fund, he did what no one else has ever done before and raised the highest level of funding at the time of  $12 billion in 2010.

“As the World Health Organisation evolves, I believe that the leadership should be reflective of that evolution. Dr.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expertise in global health and specifically on the continent of Africa is unrivaled and at a time that many African and developing nations need strategic support in improving their national healthcare systems and indices through national and local strength and political will, I believe that Dr.Tedros will be essential in the development of global health in Africa and also in many developing countries and nations.

“I hope at a time of international crossroads and change, you will follow my lead and support Dr.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as he begins his new position as Director-General of World Health Organisation.”

—  Jun 5, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT