New role expands her work beyond climate and health to strengthening resilient, integrated and sustainably financed health systems
By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization has appointed Dr Vanessa Kerry as the Special Envoy for Health Resilience, expanding her previous role as the global health body’s first Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health.
In her new position, Kerry will work with governments, development partners, multilateral institutions, civil society and the private sector to promote stronger and better-funded health systems capable of withstanding everyday pressures as well as emerging threats, WHO said.
The role will focus on helping countries build integrated and sustainable health systems that can respond to challenges ranging from climate change and disease outbreaks to pandemics and sudden funding disruptions.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Kerry’s appointment reflected the evolution of her work with the organisation, particularly her efforts to elevate climate change as a major global health concern.
“Her leadership in elevating climate change as a critical health issue has helped build momentum for stronger and more resilient health systems,” Tedros said.
“As Special Envoy for Health Resilience, Dr Kerry will help advance WHO’s efforts to ensure countries have the financing, partnerships and integrated approaches needed to withstand current and future challenges.”
Kerry will advocate increased investment in health systems and sustainable financing for universal health coverage, including greater domestic resource mobilisation. She will also provide high-level advocacy, support resource mobilisation efforts and offer strategic advice to WHO leadership.
A key part of her mandate will be promoting climate-resilient health systems and investment in health workers, infrastructure and country-led financing strategies.
WHO said the role would also seek to improve coordination among global health partners and align international support more closely with national priorities, as countries grapple with an increasingly complex range of health and economic risks.
Kerry said resilient health systems could not be built only in response to individual crises.
“Resilience is not a singular program, it’s the foundation a health system needs to function every day, and to hold when the pressure comes,” she said.
She pointed to the gradual pressures of climate change, sudden funding cuts and pandemics as examples of shocks that health systems must be prepared to withstand.
“You can’t build that foundation crisis by crisis,” Kerry said, adding that countries needed sustained investments in their health workforce, financing and infrastructure.
WHO said the appointment underscored its commitment to helping countries develop stronger health systems capable of improving health outcomes, advancing universal health coverage and responding effectively to future crises.