[afro-nets] New WHO-AFRO Regional Director (2)

[Brian Pazvakavambwa <pazvakavambwab@who.int>]

New WHO-AFRO Regional Director (2)
---------------------------------
 
Press release of the WHO Regional Office for Africa
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/afro_020904/en/
 
 
Dr Luis Sambo nominated as WHO Regional Director for Africa
 
 
2 SEPTEMBER 2004 | BRAZZAVILLE -- Dr Luis Gomes Sambo was today 
nominated by the WHO Regional Committee for Africa for the post 
of WHO Regional Director for Africa.
 
Dr Sambo, 52, of Angolan nationality, is currently the Director 
of Programme Management at the WHO Regional Office for Africa 
(AFRO), where he is responsible for the management and operation 
of the programmes of WHO in the African region.
 
Dr Sambo received a degree in medicine from the University of 
Angola and "Universitade Nova de Lisboa" Portugal, in 1977. In 
1988, he completed a programme of post-graduate study in public 
health at the College of Post-Graduate Studies, University of 
Angola. He has also attended professional courses in public 
health at The Johns Hopkins University, United States of Amer-
ica, and the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
 
Dr Sambo is fluent in written and spoken Portuguese, English and 
French - the three working languages of WHO in the region.
 
His 25 years of professional experience in the field of public 
health include 15 at WHO which he joined in 1989 as Chief of the 
Inter-country strategic support team in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 
this position he was responsible for the technical coordination 
of the support provided to the countries of Southern Africa.
 
He served as WHO Representative in Guinea Bissau from 1990 to 
1994, and as Regional Adviser in charge of the coordination of 
the Health for All strategy at AFRO between 1994 and 1995. Dr 
Sambo was Director of the Development of Health Services Divi-
sion at AFRO from 1996 to 1998 when he was appointed Director of 
Programme Management.
 
Before joining WHO, Dr Sambo had served his native Angola in 
various capacities as Vice-Minister of Health, Director of Human 
Resources for Health, Director of International Cooperation, Di-
rector of Health Services in Cabinda province, and District 
Medical Officer in the Municipality of Cacuaco, in Luanda Prov-
ince.
 
On Wednesday, the 54th Session of the Regional Committee inter-
viewed Dr Sambo and three other candidates for the post -- Dr 
Deogratias Barakamfitiye (Burundi), Dr Phetsile Kholekile 
Dlamini (Swaziland) and Dr Francis Gervase Omaswa (Uganda). Ear-
lier, on Tuesday, Zambia withdrew its candidate, Dr Evaristo 
Njelesani. Today the Health Ministers voted on the four candi-
dates.
 
Dr Sambo's nomination will be submitted for appointment to the 
WHO Executive Board scheduled to meet in Geneva from 17 to 25 
January 2005.
 
The Regional Director-elect will succeed Dr Ebrahim Malick Samba 
who retires in January 2005 after serving two terms (1994 to 
2004).
 
For more information contact:
Samuel T. Ajibola 
Telephone: +47-241-39378
mailto:ajibolas@afro.who.int