E-DRUG: WHO Management Changes [2]
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[original message from Gro Harlem Brundtland to WHO staff
Dated: 17-Mar-2000]
On March 8 I circulated a note about the assignments for senior
management which reflected a major series of planned moves to respond
to the evolving challenges in international health. I know that such
changes are unsettling for the Organization, and for all who work
within it. I had hoped for a period of stability in these areas to
help all affected by the change to re-establish linkages, redefine
their roles, and explore the new opportunities available to them and
to the teams in which they work.
There are some events that cannot be planned. This week a government crisis in
Norway has led to the request from the new Labour Prime Minister, Jens
Stoltenberg, for our Executive Director, Jonas Store, to return to Oslo and
serve as State Secretary and Chief of Staff at the Prime Minister's office.
As many of you know, Jonas has been a great support to me, both as head of the
Transition Team in 1998, and as Executive Director in my office since then. I
know that the decision has been a hard one for him to take. He will be sorely
missed by many, not least by me.
Jonas' contribution to reform in WHO, to setting our new programme over the past
two years, and to our work in general, has been crucial, and I now wish to take
forward this agenda. I feel confident that we can build further on what has
already been achieved.
I have asked David Nabarro to take over the responsibility of Executive Director
in my Office. David is both a health and a development professional with long
experience of WHO, both from the perspective of Member State Representative and
as the manager of the Roll Back Malaria Project. He is a key member of the
senior management team. He will continue to have executive responsibility for
Roll Back Malaria, in cooperation with other members of the Cabinet. Immediate
arrangements will be made to recruit a successor as Project Manager. I shall ask
David to consult with those involved in Roll Back Malaria - within and outside
the Organization - to establish arrangements to manage the project in the
interim.
Because of Dr Nabarro's new responsibilities, he will not, as planned, assume
the post of Executive Director, Sustainable Development and Healthy
Environments. As you all know, we have time. Mrs Poonam Singh continues in that
position until July.
Members of the Cabinet will consult regularly with the Staff Association to
identify and respond to any of their concerns.
We have much important work over the coming months, and this very week the
meeting of DPMs, DAFs and Executive Directors has been taking place. The next
meeting of the Working Group on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will
start soon. World Health Day with its theme of "Safe Blood Starts With Me" is on
7 April, and there are major upcoming conferences on tuberculosis, poverty and
health, and malaria. The World Health Assembly in the middle of May will
consider key resolutions on food safety, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, noncommunicable
diseases, and the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization. We are on the
final step of polio eradication. At the same time, our new WHO-wide budget
planning for 2002-2003 is going ahead.
Yours sincerely,
Gro Harlem Brundtland
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