I am delighted to announce that the World Health Organization Foundation has named me their Inaugural Global Health Ambassador. 

Since the commencement of the WHO Foundation last year, I have been in awe of the dedication, energy and far-reaching ability of the organization to excite the global community towards the shared goal of strengthening our global health ecosystem. 

In the short space of time since its inception, the WHO Foundation has exemplified tackling the biggest global health challenges collaboratively. Their battle for equity and accessibility throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by way of managing the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund (SRF) has been inspiring. Additionally, the launch of the ‘Go Give One’ campaign has created a pathway for an individual to contribute towards vaccine equity, and a strong fundraising drive has led to an impressive $20 million being raised by the foundation in just over six months. 

This speaks volumes of not only the WHO Foundation’s visionary leadership, but of a united belief that the foundation can truly bring together every global citizen to play a role in world health and address the most pressing health challenges of today and tomorrow, to bring about the necessary change needed.

As Founder-President of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, and having served as a special adviser to WHO AFRO, I have been an active global advocate for women’s and children’s health and empowerment, with my advocacy covering reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; ending gender-based discrimination and violence; and improving education, socio-economic empowerment, and community livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa.

Therefore it feels like a natural progression for the blossoming collaboration between my advocacy, philanthropy, and the WHO Foundation values to unite. I truly believe our intrinsic synergies will create a powerful platform to fight the many challenges faced in global health. 

As I come into my role, I must acknowledge that now more than ever, it is clear that our health is not guaranteed. While healthcare and life expectancy has made great strides in our lifetimes, there is still much we have yet to understand or uncover, especially when it comes to preventative care. As we continue to see with COVID-19, we are also completely under-prepared to fight new viruses and emerging illnesses. Now with climate change becoming an incorporating factor in healthcare, these challenges, epidemics and pandemics are heightened.   

Our goal as advocates, thought-leaders, private sector driving forces and changemakers at large, is to support and strengthen the directives and efforts of Governments, CSOs, Policymakers and Agents of Change. Moving forward, societal support must look like contributions; financial and otherwise – particularly from the private pillars within society, industry influencers and members of the public.

Global health needs us all, from every country, to work as one. We must all dedicate ourselves to keeping the world safe, and advocate for the protection of the most vulnerable. By working together, we can change the lives of future generations.

I look forward to propelling one of the world’s most influential global health initiatives forward through the joint force and work we have initiated. We have set out to protect the health and well-being of everyone, in every part of the world, and I am honoured as the Inaugural Ambassador to reiterate my commitment to the development, growth and mission of the WHO Foundation, and to support the World Health Organization (WHO) and the global health community. 

Official Press Release

 

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