Copenhagen, 10 February 2025
Belgian national Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge has commenced his second 5-year term as the Regional Director for WHO/Europe, based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dr Kluge was formally appointed to the role for a second term at the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, 4 February 2025. It follows his nomination by the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region in October last year.
“We will continue to build on the many successes of the past 5 years, including our work on pandemic preparedness and health system strengthening, mental health, digital health, and immunization,” said Dr Kluge.
“But we will also expand our priorities to include critical areas like strengthening national health security, tackling the health impacts of the climate crisis, taking urgent action on antimicrobial resistance and promoting healthy ageing amid rapidly shifting demographics. All of this will be complemented by a renewed focus on women, girls and youth, including by addressing the damaging pushback on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and a concerning rise in gender-based violence.”
Dr Kluge began his first term as Regional Director just as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold, devastating lives and livelihoods everywhere and placing unprecedented pressures on health systems. As COVID-19 began to come under control, another health emergency – mpox – emerged in the European Region before becoming a global concern.
Added to these emergencies were extreme weather events including heatwaves and floods, the earthquakes in Türkiye and north-western Syria, and acute, long-running humanitarian crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Israel and Lebanon. In short, the past 5 years have been marked by a permanent state of crisis – a permacrisis – challenging health systems and health workers on multiple fronts.
“Being reappointed for a second 5-year term as WHO Regional Director for Europe is without a shadow of doubt the biggest honour of my life. I draw strength from the dedicated support of all 53 Member States in the WHO European Region. Together, we will accomplish great things for public health, improve health outcomes, find innovative solutions to pressing health challenges, respond to emergencies wherever they occur, and never lose sight of why we’re all here: to serve the people, especially the most vulnerable,” continued Dr Kluge.
Dr Kluge’s second term as Regional Director will see the implementation of the second European Programme of Work, better known as the EPW2. This 5-year plan is currently being developed in close consultation with all Member States as well as civil society and WHO staff.
“I am laser-focused on delivering the EPW2 with crystal clear priorities at this time of financial constraints. By identifying and acting on priorities of importance to the almost 1 billion people across Europe and central Asia, our Member States display welcome solidarity and multilateralism at a time of deepening distrust and division,” Dr Kluge explained.
He added, “I am grateful to so many people who have stood by me and supported me over the years, most of all my family. My father, a doctor, and my mother, a nurse, taught my sister and me to always stand up for the vulnerable and to serve with humility. My wife, Katerina, and my daughters, Anastasia and Sofia, are the sources of my inspiration and drive; I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Dr Kluge concluded, “The next 5 years will be challenging for public health on multiple fronts, but I am ready to lead WHO/Europe through thick and thin, with the support of all the Member States of this diverse European Region.”