An Open Letter to the New Head of the WHO

Margaret Chan, the newly elected director general of the World Health Organization, faces many competing demands for her attention. CGD senior fellow and director of programs Ruth Levine suggests in an open letter published in the British Medical Journal that Chan focus on three key priorities: confronting global health risks, improving the health of poor people, and marshalling technical expertise. Achieving these goals, she writes, will require major reforms within the WHO, including staffing, funding, and ties to WHO regional offices. Learn more