Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus from Ethiopia, newly elected as Director General of the World Health Organisation, receives his contract during the 70th World Health Assembly at the UN's European headquarters at Geneva on Tuesday. (AP photo)GENEVA - Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won the race to be the next head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, becoming the first African to lead the Geneva-based United Nations agency. "It's a victory day for Ethiopia and for Africa," Ethiopia's ambassador to the UN in Geneva Negash Kebret Botora said. The WHO said Tedros had led a "comprehensive reform effort" of Ethiopia's health system, creating health centres and jobs. Tedros will begin his five-year term after Margaret Chan, a former Hong Kong health director, steps down on June 30.

Source: Bangkok Post May 23, 2017 20:26 UTC