LONDON — Well being ministers within the Western Pacific nominated a surgeon from Tonga, Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, to steer the World Well being Group’s regional workplace at a gathering in Manila on Tuesday.
Piukala’s nomination for WHO’s prime job within the Western Pacific comes months after the U.N. well being company fired its earlier director, Dr. Takeshi Kasai, following allegations of racism and misconduct first reported by The Related Press final yr.
WHO mentioned in an announcement that Piukala has practically three many years of expertise working in public well being in Tonga and throughout the area in areas together with persistent illnesses, local weather change and catastrophe response. Piukala was most not too long ago Tonga’s minister of well being and defeated rival candidates from China, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Vietnam.
Final January, the AP reported that dozens of WHO staffers within the Western Pacific area alleged that Kasai, the earlier regional director, made racist remarks to his employees and blamed the rise of COVID-19 in some Pacific international locations on their “lack of capability because of their inferior tradition, race and socioeconomic stage.” Kasai rejected allegations that he ever used racist language.
Days after the AP report, WHO Director-Common Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus introduced that an inside investigation into Kasai had begun. In March, WHO introduced it had terminated Kasai’s appointment after the inquiry resulted in “findings of misconduct.” It was the primary time in WHO’s historical past {that a} reginal director was dismissed.
Piukala mentioned he was grateful for the nomination and credited his expertise in Pacific Island international locations and his “fellow villagers” for his success.
“I thanks sincerely for the belief you’ve gotten positioned in me immediately,” Piukala mentioned. Piukala can be formally appointed for a five-year time period at WHO’s Govt Board assembly in January.
WHO regional administrators wield important affect in public well being and their selections might assist include rising outbreaks of doubtless harmful new outbreaks just like the coronavirus and hen flu.
In January, the AP reported {that a} senior WHO Fijian physician with a historical past of sexual assault allegations had additionally been planning to face for election because the Western Pacific’s director, with assist from his residence authorities and a few WHO staffers. Months after that report, WHO introduced the doctor, Temo Waqanivalu, had additionally been fired.
In recent times, WHO has been tormented by accusations of misconduct throughout a number of places of work, together with its director in Syria and senior managers who had been knowledgeable of sexual exploitation in Congo throughout an Ebola outbreak however did little to cease it.
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The Related Press well being and science division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Instructional Media Group. The AP is solely accountable for all content material.