Fifth candidate enters race to lead WHO as nominations close

(Fixes typographical error ‌in headline)

GENEVA, ​Sept ​25 (Reuters) - A fifth candidate has entered the race to lead the World ‌Health Organization, the agency's website showed as ⁠the deadline for nominees closed overnight.

• Candidates from five ‌countries have submitted applications ‌to replace Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as Director-General of the WHO

• They are: Qatar's ​Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari, Saudi Arabia's Hanan Balkhy, Belgium's Hans Kluge, Spain's Maria Neira and Indonesia's ⁠Budi Gunadi Sadikin

• Al-Kuwari is a former health minister; Balkhy ​is a physician who heads the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean office; Kluge is a ​physician and WHO's regional director ‌for Europe; Neira is a physician and epidemiologist and former WHO director; ⁠Budi is Indonesia's health minister

• A candidates' forum will take place in November and WHO's Executive ⁠Board will shortlist up to three of the candidates ​in January 2027

• Tedros has led the global health agency since 2017 during the COVID-19 pandemic and other ‌epidemics like Ebola and an mpox outbreak

• During his tenure, then top ‌donor Washington ordered an exit in 2025, with ⁠President Donald Trump ‌accusing it of ​mishandling COVID - a claim the WHO denies

(Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Kirsti ‌Knolle)

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