Dr Allison E. Gocotano

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Dr Allison E. Gocotano assumed the responsibilities of WHO Representative, a.i. to Nepal in January 2026, and concurrently leads the WHO Health Emergencies (WHE) Programme in the country, a position he has held since 2021. He brings more than a decade of leadership experience in health security, humanitarian response, and health systems strengthening across the Asia region.

In his role as WHE Team Lead, Dr Gocotano has overseen preparedness and response operations for major public health emergencies, including the COVID‑19 pandemic, the Jajarkot earthquake, and recurring floods and landslides. In 2024, under his leadership, the WHE team received the WHO Director-General’s Team Award for Excellence (SEARO) for their response to the Jajarkot earthquake.

Dr Gocotano has advanced national health security efforts through resource mobilization and technical leadership, contributing to development of Nepal’s Pandemic Fund project (SPEED) and driving digital health innovations such as the introduction of Electronic Medical Records in select hospitals. He has also led efforts to improve pre‑hospital and hospital emergency care systems, alongside efforts to strengthen Emergency Medical Teams.

Before joining the Nepal office, Dr Gocotano served with WHO in Myanmar (2015-2021), where he contributed to strengthening the Health Emergency Operations Centre and expanding the Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS) in conflict‑affected settings. Earlier in his career, he managed WHO field operations in Tacloban, Philippines, during the Super Typhoon Haiyan response, facilitating the transition from emergency relief to early recovery.

Dr Gocotano is a medical doctor and holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of the Philippines. He completed a Master of International Public Health and a Master of Health Management at the University of New South Wales, Australia. He has authored peer‑reviewed research on a range of public health topics.