World Health Organization elects Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as its new director general

Ethiopia's Former health and foreign minister, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, beats Pakistan's Dr. Sania Nishtarand UK's Dr. David Nabarro.

The announcement was made during an appointment ceremony that took place after WHO Member States cast their final votes at a closed session during the 70th World Health Assembly. He received 133 votes while Nabarro got 50, with two abstentions.

Nabarro, a WHO insider who has worked for 40 years in worldwide public health, dexcribed himself as a "global candidate". He trained 40,000 female health workers, hired outbreak investigators, improved the national laboratory, organized an ambulance system and multiplied medical school graduates tenfold. He touted his long experience in global health and described the work he has done in tackling infectious outbreaks and emergencies, such as the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Tedros won the post in two rounds of balloting Tuesday, defeating Dr. David Nabarro of Britain and Dr. Sania Nishtar, a Pakistani cardiologist.

Tedros also faced pushback from Ethiopian dissidents, who accused him of being complicit in a crackdown on anti-government protesters during a stint as foreign minister from 2012 to 2016.

For the first time in the WHO's history, the 194 member countries were not presented with one nominee for Director-General, but with three candidates who have gone through a hotly contested election process.

He noted that while the World Health Organization has never had a director-general from Africa, no one should elect him just because he's from Africa.

Director-General, Tedros Adhanom, highlighted on Wednesday the importance of treating health as an inalienable human right.

He said only about half of the world's population has access to health care "without impoverishment".

"It was a massive effort delivering massive results", he said.

Ghebreyesus was nominated by the government of Ethiopia, and will begin his five-year term on July 1, 2017. He is the first African appointed to head the global health agency.

Still, Tedros' candidacy also drew controversy. Price also urged World Health Organization nations to "commit to further enhancing the transparency and accountability" and carry out reforms under Tedros' five-year term.

Tedros, as he is widely known, told health ministers at the WHO's annual assembly after his election: "All roads lead to universal coverage".

"We live in a changing world, and the WHO must be able to change with it", Tedros said in his vision statement, citing new health threats brought about through globalisation, climate change and unhealthy lifestyles.