The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the specialised health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has entered a new leadership era with the assumption of office of Togolese public health expert, Professor Palokinam Pitché, as its Director-General.
Professor Pitché formally took over the leadership of the regional health body on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, with a mandate to strengthen health cooperation and support efforts to improve the wellbeing of populations across the ECOWAS region.
His emergence places a seasoned physician, public health specialist, academic and health-programme administrator at the helm of an institution responsible for promoting regional cooperation on health matters.
The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government had approved Pitché’s appointment for the 2026–2030 mandate at its 69th Ordinary Session in Lungi, Sierra Leone, in July. The final communiqué of the summit specifically listed Dr Palokinam Pitche of Togo as the new Director-General of WAHO.
Pitché comes to the regional position with more than 25 years of experience spanning public health administration, health-programme management, health-system strengthening and professional training.
Before his appointment, he served as National Coordinator of Togo’s National AIDS Control Programme between 2007 and 2012. In 2012, he became head of the Permanent Secretariat of Togo’s National Council for the Fight against AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, a multisectoral structure attached to the Togolese Presidency.
His experience extends beyond Togo. Since 1996, he has undertaken consultancy assignments for major international health and development institutions, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNAIDS, USAID, WAHO, UNDP and UNFPA.
His assignments have included the development of health policies and strategic plans, resource mobilisation and efforts to harmonise HIV treatment protocols and postgraduate training curricula across ECOWAS countries.
The new WAHO chief is also a career academic.
A Professor of Dermatology and Venereology under CAMES since 2007, Pitché obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Lomé and became an Associate Professor of Medicine in 2002.
His specialised training has covered dermatology and venereology, epidemiology, HIV, parasitology and tropical medicine, as well as immunology, vaccinology and biotechnology applied to infectious diseases. His training and professional development included institutions such as 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 also served as head of the Dermatology and Venereology Department at CHU Sylvanus Olympio in Lomé since 2015.
His academic record is equally substantial. He is credited with more than 250 scientific publications and four books, particularly in the fields of dermatology, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
Pitché assumes the WAHO leadership at a time when health security remains a major regional concern, with West African countries continuing to face infectious diseases, public-health emergencies and the need for stronger and more coordinated health systems.
His extensive experience working across governments, international organisations, development partners and community institutions could therefore prove significant as WAHO seeks to deepen regional health cooperation.
His appointment is also part of a broader renewal of ECOWAS institutions for the 2026–2030 cycle. Alongside Pitché’s appointment, the regional bloc approved new leadership for several key institutions, including the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
For WAHO, however, the immediate challenge is translating Pitché’s extensive technical and managerial experience into stronger regional coordination and measurable improvements in health outcomes.
With a career that combines clinical medicine, public health administration, academia, international consultancy and scientific research, the Togolese professor takes charge of WAHO with a profile closely aligned with the complex demands of West Africa’s health landscape.
His four-year tenure is expected to place renewed emphasis on strengthening regional health systems and advancing cooperation among ECOWAS member states in pursuit of better health outcomes for their populations.
