Togolese physician and public health expert, Prof. Palokinam Pitche, has assumed office as the new Director-General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO).
Pitche officially began his tenure on Sept. 1, bringing more than 25 years of experience in public health, health services administration and health systems development to the regional organization.
WAHO said his professional experience covers health policy and strategic planning, resource mobilization, HIV care, public health, as well as the harmonization of health protocols and postgraduate training programs across ECOWAS member states.
The new director-general previously served as National Coordinator of Togo’s National AIDS Control Program from 2007 to 2012.
He later became National Coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat of Togo’s National Council for the Fight against AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, a multisectoral body under the Presidency of Togo.
Pitche has also worked as a consultant for several international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and WAHO.
Extensive Academic, Medical Experience
The new WAHO chief holds specialized qualifications and certifications in dermatology and venereology, epidemiology, HIV, parasitology and tropical medicine, as well as immunology, vaccinology and biotechnology related to infectious diseases.
His academic training included studies at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Paris-Sud University, Johns Hopkins University/CDC and the WHO in Geneva.
Pitche has also lectured at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lomé, since 1997, where he has trained medical students and health professionals and supervised scientific research.
He doubles as a hospital physician at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé, where he has headed the Department of Dermatology and Venereology since 2015.
WAHO said Pitche has authored or co-authored more than 250 scientific publications and four books, primarily covering dermatology, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
Experts Expect Stronger Regional Health Cooperation
Public health experts have described Pitche’s assumption of office as a new phase in WAHO’s leadership.
They said his experience would be valuable in advancing regional health cooperation and improving healthcare outcomes across West Africa.
WAHO is the specialized health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), responsible for promoting and coordinating health cooperation among member states.
