Candidates' plans for pandemic transparency should carry greater weight than their governments' financial pledges

Population-level health initiatives, disease prevention, and health promotion.

Field of international medicine and policy concerned with health challenges that transcend national borders and require multilateral responses. Encompasses disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness, health systems strengthening, and the global governance of medicines, vaccines, and public health standards.

Five candidates were nominated to succeed Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as WHO Director-General: Hanan Al-Kuwari, Hanan Balkhy, Hans Kluge, Maria Neira and Budi Gunadi Sadikin. A candidates' forum is scheduled for November, followed by the shortlisting of up to three candidates in January 2027. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that China plans to put forward public-health official Song Li. Beijing had not confirmed the nomination. Six other candidates had publicly declared, and the WHO expected to publish its complete candidate list after regional meetings in early November. The contest takes place amid a funding crisis following the US withdrawal. Reuters reported that the vote is scheduled for May 2027.