As part of the reforms at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Soumya Swaminathan has been moved from the position of Deputy Director-General to Chief Scientist heading the division created to strengthen the organisation’s core scientific work and ensure the quality and consistency of its norms and standards.
Previously, she was one of the three Deputy Director-Generals supporting the Director-General in overseeing all programmes. She was the first Indian to hold the post. WHO said in a statement: “the world has changed, which is why we have articulated a new mission statement.”
