Key transformation initiatives

• The Regional Change Network: Staff volunteers in the Regional Change Network are initiating numerous improvements to take forward the WHO Transformation. Change agents have established committees, wellness units and other groups to guide this work in country offices in Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal and South Sudan. In the Regional Office and some country offices such as Eswatini, the WHO Go-Green paperless initiative has been introduced to streamline processes and reduce the Organization’s environmental footprint. The Nigeria Country Office and the Regional Incident Management Support Team for COVID-19 recently concluded culture change retreats for middle managers to enhance teamwork.

• The Pathways to Leadership programme has now been adopted organization-wide and is being expanded to strengthen health sector leadership in Member States. Congo participated in the pilot phase in 2020, identifying priority training needs and nurturing the capacities of transformative health leaders at national and subnational levels. Plans to support 16 regional directors of health are currently underway in Ghana with roll-out to additional Member States expected in the coming year.
• The Mentorship programme seeks to support career growth and development through the transfer of skills, knowledge and competencies from a senior to junior staff member. The first cohort was launched in July 2020 with 33 mentors and 65 mentees. A mid-term assessment in October 2020 highlighted gains in coaching and active listening skills for all participants, and a better understanding of different cultures among mentors. Among mentees, 96% reported learning and growth due to the mentorship relationship and 78% of participants experienced increased effectiveness in their daily work. A second cohort was launched in February 2021 with 115 mentors, including staff from other WHO regions, and 249 mentees paired on the basis of their selected individual and professional values.
• The Team Performance programme is being piloted with staff members of the Human Resources and Talent Management Team across the Region to enhance staff competencies and collaboration. It includes a co-development, 34-module curriculum based on the WHO Global Competency Model. Four workshops and 30 sessions of individual coaching have been delivered, benefiting more than 50 staff members.
• Investments in internal communications and staff engagement have increased in the pandemic context. Virtual town hall meetings with the Regional Director, change management highlights and monthly change network meetings, as well as staff surveys of COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes and practices have yielded meaningful staff feedback to inform business continuity planning and sustain staff productivity.
• Evidence of positive and significant changes in organizational culture have been noted in the Region.¹ Across the Organization, new ways of working are continuing to be adopted in response to the pandemic, demonstrating that change is possible and resulting in a more resilient and agile WHO. Going forward, WHO in the African Region will focus on consolidating achievements and integrating the lessons learnt from the pandemic to build forward better and enhance country-level transformation for lasting change across the health sector.