Zsuzsanna Jakab
Encyclopedia
Zsuzsanna Jakab born on 17 May 1951, is Director of the World Health Organization
's Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, Denmark. She succeeded Marc Danzon
on 1 February 2010. A native of Hungary
, she has held a number of high-profile national and international public health policy positions in the last three decades.
Before her election as Regional Director, Jakab served as the founding Director of the European Union
's European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
(ECDC) in Stockholm
, Sweden
. Between 2005 and 2010, she built ECDC into an internationally respected centre of excellence in the fight against infectious diseases.
Ministry of Health, Social and Family Affairs, where she managed the country’s preparations for European Union
accession in the area of public health. She played a key role in the negotiations leading up to the Fourth WHO Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, held in Budapest
in June 2004.
Between 1991 and 2002, Zsuzsanna Jakab worked at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in a range of senior management roles, including as Director of Administration and Management Support. Before this, as Director of Country Health Development, she was in charge of external relations and strategic partnerships: coordinating collaboration with the 51 Member States in the WHO European Region and international partners. During her long tenure with the organization, she also served as Director of the Division of Information, Evidence and Communication and Coordinator of the EUROHEALTH programme.
Jakab began her career in Hungary
’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in 1975, being responsible for external affairs, including relations with WHO.
; and a postgraduate diploma from the National Institute of Public Administration and Management, Hungary
.
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
's Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, Denmark. She succeeded Marc Danzon
Marc Danzon
Marc Danzon was Regional Director of the World Health Organization for Europe from 2000 until 2010. Danzon is French and has a background working as a child psychiatrist. In February 2010, Zsuzsanna Jakab became his successor.-References:...
on 1 February 2010. A native of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, she has held a number of high-profile national and international public health policy positions in the last three decades.
Before her election as Regional Director, Jakab served as the founding Director of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is an independent agency of the European Union aimed at strengthening Europe's defences against infectious diseases. It was established in 2005 and is located in Solna, Sweden....
(ECDC) in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Between 2005 and 2010, she built ECDC into an internationally respected centre of excellence in the fight against infectious diseases.
Career
Between 2002 and 2005, Ms Jakab was State Secretary at the HungarianHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Ministry of Health, Social and Family Affairs, where she managed the country’s preparations for European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
accession in the area of public health. She played a key role in the negotiations leading up to the Fourth WHO Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, held in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in June 2004.
Between 1991 and 2002, Zsuzsanna Jakab worked at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in a range of senior management roles, including as Director of Administration and Management Support. Before this, as Director of Country Health Development, she was in charge of external relations and strategic partnerships: coordinating collaboration with the 51 Member States in the WHO European Region and international partners. During her long tenure with the organization, she also served as Director of the Division of Information, Evidence and Communication and Coordinator of the EUROHEALTH programme.
Jakab began her career in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in 1975, being responsible for external affairs, including relations with WHO.
Education
Jakab holds a Master’s degree from the Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Lóránd University, Budapest; a postgraduate degree from the University of Political Sciences, Budapest; a diploma in public health from the Nordic School of Public Health in Göteborg, SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
; and a postgraduate diploma from the National Institute of Public Administration and Management, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.