Witness John

I listened to our Candidates for @WHOAFRO Director. And here is my take on Professor Mohammed Janabi Yakub: A Visionary Candidate for WHO Regional Director for Africa. Speaking on the 2nd of April 2025 at the Candidates’ Forum for WHO Regional Director for Africa. @WHOAFRO Prof Janabi shared…… "Together, we have the power to transform our Mother Africa." As Africa navigates a critical health and demographic turning point, Professor @ProfJanabi stands as a visionary leader ready to steer the continent’s health agenda with purpose, precision, and partnership. Drawing from decades of experience in primary health care, global engagement, and community impact, Prof. Janabi outlined seven clear priorities that form the heart of his candidacy: His seven key Strategic Priorities for Africa’s Health Transformation are 1. Universal Health Coverage & SDGs Acceleration - With less than five years to meet the SDGs, Prof. Janabi stresses the urgency to expand access to essential health services. He pledges to champion universal health coverage to protect millions from catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses. 2. Sustainable Health Financing - Africa must move beyond aid dependency. He advocates for diversified financing models, health insurance schemes, public-private partnerships, debt-for-health swaps, and global debt cancellation to build self-reliant systems. 3. Emergency Preparedness & Health System Resilience - The pandemic taught us hard lessons. Prof. Janabi commits to strengthening health workforce capacity, disease surveillance, rapid response systems, and regional cooperation including reforming the International Health Regulations (IHR). 4. Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health With maternal and child mortality still alarmingly high, he calls for a renewed investment in primary health care, nutrition, and data-driven interventions. He celebrates progress like the 80% maternal mortality reduction in Tanzania as proof that strong leadership works. 5. Combatting Communicable, Non-Communicable & Neglected Tropical Diseases - Through a One Health approach, he will promote healthy lifestyles, intersectoral action, and disease control strategies that recognize the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and ecosystems. 6. Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) - AMR is a silent pandemic. Prof. Janabi prioritizes the creation of regional data platforms, surveillance, and research to address the growing resistance crisis and its deadly toll across the continent. 7. Strengthening Local Manufacturing Capacity - Africa imports over 90% of its health products. He pledges to drive local production of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, while building partnerships with academia, the private sector, and non-traditional actors.