World Health Organization Regional Director for Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai addresses the media at the start of the five-day annual session in Manila, Philippines, in 2019.Bullit Marquez/The Associated Press
A senior World Health Organization director has been placed on leave, a spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday, following staff accusations of bullying and other complaints.
“The Regional Director for the Western Pacific Region, Dr Takeshi Kasai, is on leave,” a WHO official said in emailed comments, without giving details.
Two WHO sources confirmed to Reuters that the decision to place Kasai, a physician from Japan who has worked at the body for more than 15 years, on administrative leave was related to an ongoing investigation into various staff complaints.
The Associated Press reported in January that the complaints included allegations of racist language and of sharing confidential vaccine data with Japan.
He has previously acknowledged being “hard on staff” but rejected the other charges.
He is temporarily being replaced by the U.N. health agency’s number 2, Zsuzsanna Jakab, the official added.
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