{
  "abstract": "I assumed the role of the regional director (RD) of the WHO in the Africa Region (WHO/AFR), the first woman to do so during a particularly challenging time. The African region was in the middle of the most severe Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in history, affecting Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with cases exported to Italy, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain, the UK and the USA.1 By the end of the outbreak, over 28 000 people in Africa had been infected, and more than 11 000 had lost their lives.1 The epidemic took a devastating toll on the already fragile healthcare systems of the affected countries. The high mortality rate among healthcare workers2 and the redirection of resources, especially funding towards outbreak response efforts as well as preparedness in high-risk countries, severely impacted the provision of other essential health services. For example, gains in immunisation coverage were reversed in the hardest-hit countries, while stagnation occurred elsewhere. This crisis was compounded by subsequent EVD outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The member states of the WHO/AFR looked to the WHO African Regional Office (WHO/AFRO) for leadership and support. However, the organisation’s response to the West Africa EVD outbreak, particularly its coordination and leadership during the preparedness and response efforts, was deemed inadequate.3",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "International Public Health Leader, Johannesburg, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Matshidiso Moeti"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Transforming the African public health systems towards the achievement of universal health coverage and global health security",
  "uid": "92d9ead2-23ac-523f-8595-19fcc31d8615"
}