WHO regional chief steps down to seek top post
The World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office will continue operations under interim leadership after its director, Hanan Balkhy, took leave this week to campaign for the agency’s top job.
Balkhy, who has led the Cairo-based office since 2024, is the first serving regional director required to step back from official duties under newly tightened election rules issued in July. The changes address concerns over campaign finance and ethical conflicts.
New rules level the playing field
The updated guidelines require all internal candidates to use their accrued annual leave before moving to special leave at half-pay. Before this change, regional directors kept full salaries, travel budgets, and administrative support while campaigning, giving them an advantage over other internal contenders.
“The election of the Director-General must protect the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the organization,” the notice stated. Candidates must now separate official WHO functions from campaign activities.
For Balkhy, this means she cannot speak in her official capacity at global forums, including the upcoming World Health Summit in Berlin. She may attend as a private candidate but must avoid mixing campaign efforts with WHO duties. The code of conduct allows candidates to hold bilateral meetings at major conferences, provided these occur strictly on the sidelines.
One unresolved issue involves the pre-nomination phase. Countries can delay formal nomination requests, letting candidates continue high-profile diplomatic travel under official cover. This gap shows the limits of voluntary ethical commitments before nominations are finalized.
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Interim leadership appointed
To maintain continuity, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus named Adham Ismail Abdel-Moneim as officer-in-charge of the regional office. Ismail joined the office as director of programme management earlier this year. He previously served as WHO representative to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Iraq. His 13-year experience with the regional medicines team in Cairo came before those roles.
In a message to staff, Tedros said Ismail “will ensure continuity in the leadership and management of the Region.” He added that “WHO’s vital work will continue without interruption.”
Balkhy’s departure comes as the September deadline for Director-General applications nears. The field remains uncertain, with several prominent figures ruling out bids. Jarbas Barbosa, director of the Pan American Health Organization, chose to focus on his current position. WHO Chief Scientist Jeremy Farrar told journalists he had “no intention” to run.
The election process has long faced criticism for lacking transparency. While Tedros’ reforms attempt to address these issues, enforcement gaps remain, especially in the early stages of campaigning. The outcome now depends on how strictly the new rules are applied and whether they can prevent perceptions of unfairness.
The situation will test whether the system can balance institutional integrity with the ambitions of its leaders. Similar debates have emerged in other health policy discussions, where unexpected developments have forced agencies to reconsider long-standing practices.
