Dr David Nabarro wrapped up his brief visit to Dhaka on Sunday as part of his worldwide campaign. During his time in the city, he met with health minister Mohammed Nasim and other government officials. He also engaged with a group of journalists, including bdnews24.com, at the British High Commission in Dhaka. The election of the World Health Organization's eighth director-general will occur in May during the World Health Assembly in Geneva, where 194 member states will gather. The finalists vying for the position to succeed Dr Margaret Chan include Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, former Ethiopian foreign minister and health minister, and Dr Sania Nishtar, former health minister of Pakistan. The candidates are focusing on global challenges such as Ebola outbreaks, climate change impacts on health, an aging population, non-communicable diseases, and the need for new drugs. The WHO received harsh criticism for its handling of the Ebola virus outbreak, with some experts questioning the organization's relevance during that time. The outbreak in West Africa in 2014 resulted in over 11,000 deaths. Dr. Navarro, who has been serving as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Ebola since September 2014, is providing strategic and policy guidance for the international response. In response to a question about why Bangladesh should vote for him, the British doctor stated that based on his previous experiences, he believes he can help "get WHO back on track with its work." Due to his employment history in South Asia, particularly in Bangladesh, he has a good understanding of the health and healthcare concerns in the area. He also mentioned that his work on Sustainable Development Goals and climate change as a special envoy for the UN Secretary General in the past two years is applicable to Bangladesh. He expressed his fondness for the country, recalling his work with Save the Children in 1982 and acknowledging the positive initiatives taken in Bangladesh. He expressed his eagerness for Bangladesh to vote for him in order to gain support from other countries. He has extensive experience in public health, nutrition, and development at various levels and has held positions in NGOs, universities, national governments, and the UN system. He has served in roles such as Senior Coordinator for Avian and Pandemic Influenza, Coordinator of the Movement to Scale Up Nutrition, and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Food Security and Nutrition. He was brought in by the UN Secretary General during the Ebola outbreak when the virus was spreading rapidly. After assuming the responsibility, he stated that he identified a "problem" and with the assistance of everyone, they were able to assist WHO in getting back on track and eventually fulfilling its intended role. He realized that WHO needed changes to detect potential outbreaks more efficiently, respond promptly, and raise alarms more effectively. As a result, he was asked to lead a group to advise on reforming WHO in order to enhance its support for countries in responding to outbreaks. The advisory group proposed recommendations to strengthen response capacity, which inspired him to run for Director General of WHO as he was committed to seeing these changes implemented. This is a cause he strongly believes in. David Nabarro. It is essential because there is no substitute for WHO in handling outbreaks. I have experience dealing with avian influenza, SARS, cholera, and outbreak management. I am confident that I have the skills and expertise to lead WHO effectively in this area. My goal is to make WHO reliable and efficient during outbreaks. I have a proven track record in food, nutrition, infectious diseases, climate change, and SDGs, and have successfully raised funds and produced results in various fields. I believe this is exactly what WHO requires. He stated that WHO, under his leadership, will be a completely transparent and auditable organization for everyone, as that is the best way to manage public services in the modern era. The election process for the next Director-General began on Sep 23 last year with the announcement of nominated candidates by Member States. This was followed by interactions between member states and candidates in a password-protected web forum on the WHO website. In November, a live forum took place where candidates presented their vision for WHO Member States and answered questions about their candidacy. In January, WHO's Executive Board selected a shortlist of five candidates. The Board members conducted interviews with multiple candidates and chose three of them for the final voting, which will occur at the World Health Assembly in May. The new Director-General will begin their term on July 1 this year. Learn more about the other candidates, including one from Africa, one from Asia, and one from Europe. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia received the highest vote from executive members and is endorsed by the African Union. According to his campaign page, Ghebreyesus is described as a visionary leader who has led Ethiopia and various global health organizations to achieve significant results and enhance their impact. He expressed his vision for a world where all individuals can live healthy and productive lives, regardless of their identities or locations. Dr. Sania Nishtar from Pakistan made 10 commitments in her campaign that focused on addressing issues to revitalize the WHO. She emphasized the need for implementing reforms quickly, promoting transparency, establishing accountability, ensuring efficiency, and fostering a results-driven culture.