Anke Tijtsma new Wemos director

"As of May 1, Anke Tijtsma is Wemos’ new director. Anke Tijtsma is a medical anthropologist with extensive experience in health advocacy at national and global level. She takes a special interest in human rights, equity in health and health systems strengthening.

Tijtsma is keen to ensure Wemos’ involvement in the discourse on improved governance in health, both at the global level and in the Netherlands. 'I am a strong supporter of multi-sectoral approaches for tackling health challenges. I am also eager to enhance Wemos' contribution to the achievement of health in all policies', says Tijtsma.

Until recently Tijtsma was a senior advocacy officer at Wemos. Over the past six years she has focused her advocacy work on Human Resources for Health. Her extensive network has given Wemos a high profile on this theme, internationally as well as nationally. In particular, her work on the Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel has been successful.

Tijtsma's background in social science (medical anthropology) and nutrition and her interest in a systemic approach to (public) health have proven useful in her career. Before joining Wemos in 2003, she worked as a Technical Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. As a nutritionist at the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) she was involved in conducting nutrition surveys in refugee camps in Africa. Tijtsma worked in a number of countries: Botswana, Bolivia, China, Kenya, Nicaragua and Tanzania."

Source: Wemos news release.

Our congratulations to Anke, a dedicated activist of the Medicus Mundi International Network and its HRH working group - and to Wemos!