‘Nabarro the best candidate to lead WHO’
professionals including midwives, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory workers, first responders and all kinds of doctors.
If Nabarro is elected, the WHO will have the technical expertise and leadership it needs to tackle a global health emergency.
Of course there are challenges, some really serious, with many people experiencing poverty, hardship (especially among women and children) and suffering. Africa’s people bear the brunt of the world’s disease burden, yet have access to only 1% of the world’s health workers. But governments, NGOs, development partners and enterprises are working hard to build the systems that people need.
Too many people in many countries across this great continent face preventable death, disease and suffering in their daily lives. And it is the poorest and most vulnerable who struggle the most.
They are often blocked from access to good health care, exposed to disease-prone environments or forced to drink unsafe water.
It is unacceptable that in Nigeria, for example, about 800 000 children and 40 000 mothers die each year from avoidable causes and that disease such as malaria and outbreaks of meningitis, measles and other infectious diseases continue to claim lives. We need a system that works for everyone.
Many countries across Africa also face a double burden along with infectious-disease threats there are an increasing number of people struggling with non-communicable or so called “lifestyle” diseases. These are conditions like diabetes, obesity and cancer, which can be treated or prevented saving potentially millions, financially and literally.
Doing more to address these challenges is one of Nabarro’s top priorities should he become WHO’s director-general.
Equally, when it comes to finances, the WHO’s decision are important for business and economies. Sickness absence and ill-health, for example, can leave employers with a heavy burden of millions or even billions in some countries. The best health security systems and programmes will help prevent and reduce illness and keep us as safe as possible from disease.
In today’s global and interconnected world with an increasing population, new diseases, deadly outbreaks and resurging threats from old ones now resistant to antibiotics, health must be a top priority on the international agenda.
The WHO’s director-general is a challenging and important role. It is huge and it matters to everyone throughout our world, perhaps to those of us in Africa more than most. We have made great progress in improving the health of our people, but poor health remains a major driver of poverty here.
A healthy, well-educated population is critical to our growth and development. As director-general of the WHO, Nabarro will ensure that the WHO plays a strong role in contributing to Africa’s future successes. As a medical professional and political negotiator he has seen it all, including nearly being blown up in the UN headquarter’s bombing in Baghdad in 2003.
I would urge our esteemed leaders to put the interests of our citizens first and vote for the best candidate, and in my opinion that is Dr David Nabarro.
Dr Survé is a medical doctor, trustee of GISAID, patron of the WCPRC, chairman of Sekunjalo and Independent Media.