The WHO announced that Dr. Jeremy Farrar will become its new Chief Scientist. Currently, Dr. Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, will join the WHO in the second quarter of 2023.
Dr. Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu will become WHO Director of Nursing. Formerly Minister of Health for the Kingdom of Tonga, and before that Director of Nursing for Tonga, Dr Tuipulotu will join WHO in the first quarter of 2023.
As WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Farrar will oversee the Science Division, bringing together the best science and innovation brains from around the world to develop and deliver high-quality health services to the people who need them most, no matter what. who they are and where they are. Live.
Dr. Farrar is a clinical scientist who, prior to joining Wellcome in 2013, spent 17 years as Director of the Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Vietnam, where his research interests were in global health with a focus on emerging infectious diseases.
Under Dr Farrar, Wellcome has embraced an increasingly global perspective, focusing on funding discovery research projects to transform the understanding of life, health and well-being, and supporting science-based solutions to address three pressing challenges. : infectious diseases, mental health and the effects of climate change on health.
Dr. Farrar is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences, the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), the US National Academies and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
As WHO Director of Nursing, Dr Tuipulotu will champion, nurture and support nurses and midwives to ensure that their skills and experience are used appropriately to strengthen health systems and reinforce their critical role in bringing patients, communities and national health systems. .
In 2019, Dr. Tuipulotu became the Kingdom of Tonga’s first Minister of Health, serving in the position until December 2021. From 2014 to 2019, she served as Tonga’s Director of Nursing. Previously, she was Director of Nursing at the Vaiola Hospital, the country’s main referral hospital. She was the first Tongan to receive a PhD. in Nursing. In 2019, she was made an Honorary Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Sydney.
From May 2020 to December 2022, Dr. Tuipulotu was a member of the WHO Executive Board; she was elected EC Rapporteur in 2020.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “I am delighted that Jeremy and Amelia are joining WHO at a critical time in global public health when investment in both the health workforce and in science is essential to strengthen health systems and the preparation and prevention of outbreaks. As Chief Scientist, Jeremy will accelerate our efforts to ensure that WHO, its Member States and our partners benefit from cutting-edge science and innovations that save lives. As chief nurse, Amelia will spark the most important need to not only fill the gap in healthcare workers around the world, but also to ensure they receive the support they need and deserve.”
