Dear Zsuzsanna, my sister,
In the two and a half years since I took up my tenure as Director-General, I have had the great pleasure of drawing on your experience and counsel on countless occasions, first as Regional Director for Europe, and for the past 10 months, as Deputy Director-General.
How grateful I am that you agreed to take up the challenge and join me as my deputy, a driving force in the transformation of the Organization.
When I decided [to appoint you] and shared with some colleagues, one colleague said: she’s the best catch. It’s true.
Under your leadership, the Region made great progress.
You introduced Health 2020, a policy framework for the Region, based on reducing health inequalities and promoting governance for health.
It is gratifying to see how countries in Europe embraced this framework, introducing it into national policies and strategies.
As a result, there are many successes to celebrate.
Life expectancy is increasing, inequality is declining, infant and maternal mortality are declining, premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases is declining.
Most countries in the Region now have a policy or strategy to address the determinants of health and inequalities in health.
The Regional Office has also been at the forefront of efforts to address the health of refugees and migrants, and to deal with the threat of antimicrobial resistance.
The European Region was the first to report zero cases of indigenous malaria.
Cases of tuberculosis have been declining fast, and despite the recent serious measles outbreak across the European Region, there has been a spectacular reduction in the incidence of measles and rubella.
Additionally, the polio-free status of the Region has been maintained.
Your track record speaks volumes.
Now at global level, with your dedication we are progressing well on making this organization prepared, agile, and able to respond to current and future health needs.
Thank you for your commitment to serving humanity.
Thank you for making this organization great.
And thank you for your tireless efforts to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.
I wish also to use this opportunity to thank Dr Piroska Ostlin, who stepped in as Acting Regional Director before Hans’s appointment.
She’s not with us today, but I hope our respect and appreciation will reach her.
Thank you so much.