By Franca Ofili
Prof. Palokinam Pitche has assumed office as Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) institution responsible for regional health matters.
This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday, which said Pitche officially began his tenure on Sept. 1, taking charge of WAHO at a time regional health cooperation remained crucial.
“A university hospital physician and public health specialist, Pitche brings more than 25 years of experience across health administration, programme management and health systems strengthening.
“His experience also covers training health professionals and coordinating government stakeholders, technical partners, financial partners and community organisations across health programmes.
“Pitche has extensive experience in resource mobilisation and managing programmes supported by bilateral and multilateral partners, strengthening his credentials for regional health leadership,” the statement said.
According to the statement, before joining WAHO, Pitche served as National Coordinator of Togo’s National AIDS Control Programme from 2007 to 2012.
“In 2012, he became National Coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat of Togo’s National Council for the Fight against AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections.
“The council is a multisectoral body operating under the Presidency of the Togolese Republic, giving Pitche experience coordinating national responses to major health challenges,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Pitche’s professional career also has a strong regional and international dimension, including consultancy assignments for major global health and development institutions.
“Since 1996, he has worked with organisations including World Health Organization (WHO), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), WAHO among others on health-related programmes and policies.”
“His assignments have focused on developing policies and strategic plans, mobilising resources and strengthening health programmes across countries and institutions.
“He has also contributed to harmonising HIV care protocols and postgraduate training curricula among ECOWAS Member States,” it added.
According to the statement, Pitche has served as a senior lecturer in Dermatology and Venereology at CAMES since July 2007, alongside his clinical and public health responsibilities.
It said he obtained the Agrégation de Médecine in 2002 and a State Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Lomé, with specialised training in several health disciplines.
“His specialised training includes dermatology, venereology, epidemiology, HIV, parasitology, tropical medicine, immunology, vaccinology and biotechnology applied to infectious diseases.
“His academic training included institutions such as Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Paris-Sud University, Johns Hopkins University/CDC and WHO in Geneva.
“Since 1997, Pitche has lectured at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Lomé, training medical students and health professionals while supervising research,” the statement said.
“He is also a hospital physician at Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé and has headed its Dermatology and Venereology Department since 2015,” it added.
The statement said Pitche had authored or co-authored more than 250 scientific articles and four books, focusing mainly on dermatology, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
According to the statement, his assumption of office opens a new chapter for WAHO as he leads efforts to strengthen regional health cooperation and improve population health across ECOWAS.(NAN)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru