Hans Kluge
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Hans Kluge in 2020
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| Regional Director for Europe of the World Health Organization | |
| Assumed office 1 February 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Zsuzsanna Jakab |
| Personal details | |
| Alma mater | KU Leuven |
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Hans Henri Marcel Paul Kluge (born 29 November 1968, in Roeselare) is a Belgian medical doctor and public health expert with more than 25 years of experience spanning three continents. As of 1 February 2020[update], he served as the World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe after being nominated in September 2019 by the WHO Regional Committee for Europe.[1][2][3] In 2019, Belgium proposed Dr Kluge as a candidate for the position of WHO Regional Director for Europe.[4]
He qualified in medicine, surgery and obstetrics at KU Leuven in 1994.[5]
As WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Kluge introduced a new strategic vision for the WHO European Region, called "United action for better health".[6] When introducing the vision, Dr Kluge said, "Together, we must build a pan-European culture of health, where health and well-being goals guide public and private decision-making, and everyone can make healthy choices". This vision was translated into the European Programme of Work 2020-2025 (EPW), which was formally adopted by the Region in September 2020.[7]
Dr Kluge also initiated the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development, an independent and interdisciplinary group of leaders convened to rethink policy priorities in the light of pandemics.[8] In December 2021 Kluge said: "We can see another storm coming".[9] In February Kluge said "This period of higher protection should be seen as a 'ceasefire' that could bring us enduring peace."[10]
In June 2022, during the 2022 monkeypox outbreak, Kluge called on governments and the public to increase efforts to prevent the disease from extending its geographical reach.[11]
