The World Health Organisation has appointed Maltese doctor and University of Malta lecturer, Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, as Director for the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems.

“Today marks the start of a new chapter in my professional life as I take up the position of Director Country Health Policies & Systems at WHO Europe,” Dr Azzopardi Muscat said in a recent Facebook post describing the appointment, which comes at a “critically important time for health & humanity.”

As Director, the doctor’s will be responsible lead the division’s programmes and activities, which aim to assist countries in the Europe to design and implement health policies and systems to strengthen universal health coverage across the continent.

Dr Azzopardi Muscat will be working closely with WHO's Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge, who has, famously, warned country’s against complacency in the fight against COVID-19, saying that "now is the time for preparation, not celebration."

The new Director graduated from the University of Malta in 1997 and went on to specialise in public health and health services. She obtained her PhD from Maastricht University in the area of European Public Health and is a senior lecturer at the University of Malta’s Department of Health Services Management. 

She has also been the Chief Medical officer within the Ministry of Health, advising government on health systems and policy development, and was also the Director of Strategy and Sustainability within the same Ministry.