Dr. Jarbas Barbosa Da Silva of Brazil is PAHO’s New Director

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Assistant Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., was on Wednesday (September 28), elected as the entity’s new Director.

He was elected by delegates of PAHO Member States participating in the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference, being held in the United States (US) capital, Washington, DC, from September 26 to 30.

Dr. Barbosa, a Brazilian, topped the field of five candidates, which included nominees from Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay.

He will succeed Dr. Carissa F. Etienne of Dominica, who has led PAHO over two five-year terms, since 2012.

The Director-designate is slated to begin his five-year term on February 1, 2023.

Dr. Barbosa received his medical degree from the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil and specialised in public health and epidemiology at the National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) in Rio de Janeiro.

He holds a master’s degree in medical sciences and a PhD. in public health from the University of Campinas in São Paulo.

Dr. Barbosa initially served as Municipal Secretary of Health of Olinda, State Secretary of Health in Pernambuco, and Director of the National Center for Epidemiology (CENEPI), in the South American country’s capital, Brasília.

He joined PAHO in 2007 as Area Manager for Health Surveillance and Disease Management.

In this capacity, Dr. Barbosa was responsible for coordinating regional activities related to the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases; veterinary public health; and health analysis and statistics.

He rejoined Brazil’s Ministry of Health as Secretary of Health Surveillance in 2011, and later became Secretary of Science, Technology and Strategic Supplies.

Dr. Barbosa subsequently served as Director-President of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) from 2015 to 2018, before taking up the position of PAHO Assistant Director.

In this capacity, he has led PAHO’s efforts to increase equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and enhance regional capacities to produce medicines and other health technologies.

PAHO serves as the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas.

As such, Dr. Barbosa’s election will be conveyed to the WHO Executive Board, for his appointment as WHO Regional Director.