Dr. David Nabarro is one of the candidates in the fray for election of the next Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which will be held on May 23.
He has been preparing for this role for a lifetime, in a career path that has seen him travel to 50 countries and responding to the needs of people with Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. He has also been pioneering a global movement on improving nutrition across 59 countries.
Besides, Dr. David Nabarro will focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are currently responsible for 70% of all deaths across the world. He is also committed to addressing the stigma of mental health, including depression which affects a staggering 300 million people globally.
Dr David Nabarro said, “We cannot afford to be unprepared for the next global emergency. I have experience on the ground, in communities and in running international crisis responses to ensure that WHO is ready to respond promptly when, not if, the next crisis hits.”
“Meanwhile we continue to fight a global epidemic of chronic diseases. They are killing more than 40 million people a year. As Director-General, I will champion prevention – it makes absolute sense to invest in preventing and reducing the long-term suffering and costs associated with conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.”
Dr David Nabarro is the UK Candidate to be the next Director-General of the WHO and has over 40 years of experience working in international public health as a practitioner, educator and public servant.
Reacting to Dr. David Nabarro’s candidacy, Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) said, “David is one of the most committed, passionate humanitarians I have had the privilege of working alongside. His breadth of experience as a doctor, development expert and multilateral adviser makes him the best choice for WHO’s next Director-General. He is able to bring diverse groups of people together and find solutions to some of the most challenging problems through brave and visionary leadership.”
“His energy is amazing! His expertise in addressing wicked problems such as climate change and malnutrition is unparalleled which is why I am confident that David will ensure WHO is fit to face the challenges of the next decade and that the poorest and most vulnerable do not get left behind.”
Dr. David Nabarro said that should he be elected Director-General, his goal is for everyone, everywhere to have universal access to the healthcare they need, especially women and children and added that WHO’s role is to provide rapid and high quality support to governments and their citizens.