Newsletter Edition #376 [The Files In-Depth]
Readers,
We bring you an update on recent developments at the World Health Organization.
This edition has two parts. First, we discuss recent announcements about departures at the WHO and what this means. Second, we present a few early nominations for the next Director-General of the organization. In this edition, we try to contextualize these developments.
We will be following the WHO elections closely over the coming year and will be providing intelligence on behind-the-scenes dynamics to our readers. Scholars, activists, think tanks, or others, can reach out to collaborate with us for analysis, commentary and curating this significant transition in global health. Write to us: genevahealthfiles@gmail.com.
Geneva Health Files offers value to our readers who are experts in global health. Tracking global health policy-making in Geneva is tough and expensive, without institutional support. For six years, we have provided you with the information and tools that directly contribute to your work in the field. We rely on our readers who value news they can use.
By becoming a paying subscriber you make our work possible. Our subscribers contribute towards greater accountability in global health.
More from us later.
Priti
Priti Patnaik, Founder & Publisher, Geneva Health Files
Feel free to write to us: genevahealthfiles@gmail.com ; Find us on BlueSky, Instagram and Linkedin.
STORY OF THE WEEK
In & Out At the WHO: Nominations for the Next Director-General; Departure of Two Top Officials
Countries are going to elect a new leader at the World Health Organization in May 2027. The institution is already under transition for all practical purposes. The last few weeks have seen a few nominations for the role of the next Director-General.
For more than three months, the institution has also been battling a fast-evolving outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Given that these multiple dynamics are unfolding contemporaneously, departures from the top leadership team of two Assistant Directors-General, have raised eyebrows. As an international organization, whose activities have direct implications for public health, there is keen interest in the goings-on at WHO.
Earlier this month, WHO saw the departure of Yukiko Nakatani, the former ADG for Health Systems, Access and Data. Sources told us that the government of Japan had indicated to the WHO earlier in 2026, that Nakatani would be recruited for an internal role in Japan. She has been appointed as executive director for health policy and health care planning at Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
WHO Chief Scientist Sylvie Briand is the acting head for Health Systems, Access and Data. Sources told us that there are considerations underway to assess the feasibility of merging these functions with the Science division in order to save on costs.
Last week, a media report announcing the departure of Jeremy Farrar, the ADG for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care, caught many by surprise. The story was reportedly published before the official communication on Farrar’s departure was communicated to staff. Farrar is reaching retirement age next month – called as the Mandatory Age for Separation. WHO clarified that nearing retirement age is the reason for his departure. Media reports though, characterized the departure as a resignation.
In an email on August 18th, DG Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “On behalf of the entire Organization, I extend my sincere thanks to Dr Farrar for his service to WHO and to global public health.”
Sources also indicated that Farrar was not interested in an exceptional extension of the retirement age – something that is granted rarely, and under the discretion of the Director-General.
Farrar joined WHO as Chief Scientist in 2023, after heading Wellcome Trust for several years. He assumed the role of the ADG, following massive restructuring efforts at the WHO, that saw the senior management team shrink to four pillars from ten different departments. Farrar, a respected British scientist, has been a leading voice at the WHO, sharing his perspectives on reforms, the global health architecture and on numerous technical issues. His tenure unfolded during a tumultuous period for the organization that saw the withdrawal of the U.S.; cascading cuts in funding for the field; and deep job losses at the WHO.
There has been speculation that Farrar would run for the position of the next DG, but he had denied this according to a media report in June. (The deadline for nominations for the role of the DG is the end of September 2026.)
WHO veteran, Bruce Aylward assumed Farrar’s role to lead Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care. Prior to the overhaul last year, Aylward was ADG for Universal Health Coverage. He has variously led efforts including at the ACT Accelerator, and the COVAX Facility during the COVID-19 pandemic; the Global Polio Eradication Initiative; and been a part of the WHO’s response to the West African Ebola epidemic.
