The Mexican researcher Francisco Becerra Posada was appointed new Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Washington, DC, 26 September 2013 (PAHO/WHO). — The Mexican researcher Francisco Becerra Posada was appointed new Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Assistant Director's Office is responsible for the supervision of programs that provide technical cooperation to each of the 35 member countries and territories. These programs focus on the areas of Family, Gender, and Life Course; Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis; Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health; and Health Systems and Services.
Becerra Posada, who took office this week, has a doctorate in public health from the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico, a Master's in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, and has a medical degree from the National University of Mexico (UNAM).
PAHO/WHO's new Assistant Director has over 30 years of experience in public health and in the field of health research and development. Since November 2008, he held various positions as senior consultant for Latin America at the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) in Switzerland and in Mexico. COHRED is a non-governmental organization that, among other things, supports developing countries to improve health and reduce health inequities.
Before COHRED, Becerra Posada worked in Mexico as Director General of Health Services of Morelos; as Director General of Federal Hospitals of the Ministry of Health; and as Liaison Director responsible for the coordination of the National Institutes of Health.
He also served as consultant in numerous national and international organizations, including PAHO and WHO, as well as in non-governmental organizations worldwide. He is the author of numerous articles on public health and research, and has contributed to numerous scholarly publications.
PAHO Director Dr. Carissa F. Etienne appointed Becerra Posada, who will serve at PAHO headquarters in Washington, DC.
