The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formalized the candidacy of Dr. María Neira to lead the World Health Organization (WHO), once the deadline for presenting candidates for the succession of the current director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expired this Thursday.
The information was reported by the specialized media "Health Policy Watch," which emphasizes that Neira's proposal is based on a primary prevention approach and the health risks associated with climate change.
Prior to the official endorsement of Neira, more than 100 civil society organizations had urged the Spanish government to support her candidacy, considering that her technical background is key to addressing extreme heat waves and environmental health risks in the most vulnerable communities.
This platform was promoted by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and Dr. Carlos Ferreyra, from Climate, Life and Health International.
With this step, Neira becomes the fifth candidate to lead the WHO, alongside Dr. Hans Kluge from Belgium; Dr. Hanan Balkhy from Saudi Arabia; Dr. Hanan Al-Kuwari from Qatar; and Dr. Budi Gunadi Sadikin from Indonesia.
Neira holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Oviedo and has a master's degree in Public Health from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris (France). She specialized in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the University of René Descartes and later in Nutrition at the Conservatoire National d'Arts et Métiers, also in Paris.
Throughout her career, her role as director of the Department of Public Health and Environment of the World Health Organization (WHO) stands out, a responsibility she held for about twenty years.
After the closure of the registration of candidacies this Thursday, the candidates will present themselves to the member states in the first live candidates forum, scheduled for November. Then, at the beginning of 2027, the Executive Board of the WHO will select a shortlist of up to three finalists, before the World Health Assembly casts the final vote in May.