"It is with great sadness that we hear of the tragic and untimely death of Dr Kassi Manlan, the World Health Organization's Representative in Burundi.

Dr Manlan has worked hard, most recently in Burundi, to promote better health and well-being of the people of Africa.

His death will leave a void in the lives of many, though we will forever remember his personal and professional achievements and his contribution to Africa's development."

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Dr Manlan was born on 1 December 1947, and was a national of Côte d'Ivoire. He was a Doctor of Medicine with a specialization in Hepato-Gastro-Enterology. He wrote about fifty publications in his area of specialization and on public health. Dr Manlan served as Senior Physician in several hospitals in Côte d'Ivoire, and taught at the Faculty of Medicine in Abidjan from 1972 to 1995. He supervised about 40 doctoral theses in medicine, and helped train many doctors in his field and public health. After being a consultant for the World Health Organization and other agencies, he joined the Organization in 1995. Starting in 1998, he was in charge of the Development of Human Resources for Health unit in the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. He assumed the post of World Health Organization Representative in Burundi in 2001. Dr Manlan was married with four children.

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Dr Manlan was reported missing from his house in Bujumbura on the morning of 20 November. The circumstances of the death are currently under investigation.