Brazzaville, 14 January 2010 -- The World Health Organization (WHO)’s African Regional Director-elect Dr Luis Gomes Sambo of Angola will be sworn in to serve a second term of office at the 126th Session of the Executive Board meeting due to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 18 - 23 January 2010.

Dr Sambo was unanimously re-nominated by Member States of the WHO Regional Committee on 31 August during the opening session of the annual Regional Committee meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda in August 2009.

In accordance with the WHO Constitution, the Committee requested the Director-General to propose to the WHO Executive Board (the global governing body), the appointment of Dr Luis Sambo as Regional Director with effect from 1 February 2010. He is expected to address delegates at the forthcoming Executive Board meeting on 18 January 2010.

Under his leadership during the past five years, wide ranging reforms were initiated that have contributed to improvement in health outcomes of the African region.

Prior to joining WHO, Dr Sambo was the Vice Minister of Health in Angola from 1983-1989. He has served in various positions within WHO including Chief of the Inter-Country Strategic Support Team for Southern African Countries, WHO Country Representative for Guinea Bissau, Head of Health For All Strategy, Director of the Division of Health Systems and Services Development at the Regional Office and Director of Programme Management at the Regional Office.

Dr Sambo is fluent in spoken and written Portuguese, French and English.

For further information please contact

Collins Boakye-Agyemang,

Communications and Advocacy Officer

Tel: 00 47 241 39420

E-mail: boakyec [at] afro.who.int