Lilongwe. The Director of Preventive Services at Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, Dr Ntuli Kapologwe, has been elected Director General of the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC).
Dr Kapologwe succeeds Prof Yoswa Dambisya of Uganda, who has served two terms spanning 10 years.
He will serve a five-year term at the helm of ECSA-HC.
Speaking after his election on February 12, the minister for Health, Ms Jenista Mhagama, said Dr Kapologwe emerged victorious over six other candidates vying for the position.
“When the position was announced, 47 applications were received, but these were trimmed down to seven,” she noted.
She added that after interviews conducted by ECSA-HC’s Advisory Committee—comprising Permanent Secretaries from member states—Dr Kapologwe obtained the highest score, advancing to the final stage alongside two candidates from Kenya and Malawi.
“The three final names were presented to the ECSA Conference of Health Ministers, which selected Dr Kapologwe,” Ms Mhagama said.
This marks only the second time a Tanzanian has been elected Director General in ECSA-HC’s 51-year history.
Dr Winnie Mpanju-Shumbusho previously held the position for three years, from 1997 to 2000.
ECSA-HC was established in 1974 by nine countries: Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Uganda and Eswatini.
Beyond its member states, ECSA-HC also supports non-members, including Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Eritrea, Gabon, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia.
ECSA-HC is an intergovernmental health organisation that fosters and promotes regional cooperation in healthcare among member states.
