The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the specialised health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has commenced a new leadership era with the assumption of office of Togolese public health expert, Professor Palokinam Pitché, as its Director-General.
Pitché formally assumed office on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, for a four-year tenure running from 2026 to 2030, with a mandate to strengthen regional health cooperation and support efforts to improve health outcomes across West Africa.
His appointment places an experienced physician, public health specialist, academic and health-programme administrator at the helm of an institution responsible for coordinating regional responses to shared health challenges.
The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government approved Pitché’s appointment at its 69th Ordinary Session held in Lungi, Sierra Leone, in July 2026. The summit’s final communiqué listed Dr Palokinam Pitché of Togo as the new Director-General of WAHO.
Pitché brings more than 25 years of experience in public health administration, health-programme management, health-system strengthening and professional training to the regional position.
He served as National Coordinator of Togo’s National AIDS Control Programme from 2007 to 2012 before becoming head of the Permanent Secretariat of Togo’s National Council for the Fight against AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, a multisectoral body attached to the Togolese Presidency.
His professional experience also includes consultancy assignments for major international health and development institutions, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNAIDS, USAID, WAHO, UNDP and UNFPA.
Over the years, his assignments have covered health policy development, strategic planning, resource mobilisation, harmonisation of HIV treatment protocols and postgraduate training curricula across ECOWAS member states.
Pitché is also an accomplished academic and medical specialist. A Professor of Dermatology and Venereology under CAMES since 2007, he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Lomé and became an Associate Professor of Medicine in 2002.
His specialised training spans dermatology and venereology, epidemiology, HIV, parasitology and tropical medicine, immunology, vaccinology and biotechnology applied to infectious diseases. His professional development included training at Université Paris-Sud, Johns Hopkins/CDC and the WHO in Geneva.
He has taught at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Lomé since 1997 and has headed the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at CHU Sylvanus Olympio in Lomé since 2015.
His academic career includes more than 250 scientific publications and four books, particularly on dermatology, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
Pitché assumes leadership of WAHO at a time when health security remains a critical regional concern, with West African countries confronting infectious diseases, public-health emergencies and persistent challenges in strengthening health systems and cross-border coordination.
His experience working with governments, international organisations, development partners and community institutions is expected to be valuable as WAHO seeks to deepen cooperation among member states and improve the region’s capacity to respond collectively to health threats.
His appointment forms part of the wider renewal of ECOWAS institutions for the 2026–2030 cycle, which also saw the regional bloc approve new leadership for several key institutions, including the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
For WAHO, the immediate task will be to translate Pitché’s extensive technical, managerial and academic experience into stronger regional coordination, more resilient health systems and measurable improvements in health outcomes.
With a career spanning clinical medicine, public health administration, academia, international consultancy and scientific research, Pitché takes charge of WAHO with a profile closely aligned with the complex and evolving health challenges confronting West Africa.
