Marcolino Gomes Candau

Marcolino Gomes Candau (* May 30, 1911 in Rio de Janeiro; † 24 January 1983) was a Brazilian physician. From 1953 to 1973 he was Director General of the World Health Organization ( WHO).

Life and achievements

Candau studied medicine in his home country and then worked in the local health system.

His career in the WHO began in 1950 with his entry into the service of the General Secretariat of the WHO in Geneva. Two years later he was in Washington, DC. Appointed Assistant Director of the WHO Office for the Americas region. Shortly after, he was elected in 1953 as the successor to Brock Chisholm for a five -year term as WHO Director-General. In his office, he was in 1958, 1963 and 1968 confirmed for five more years in office. He was elected as foreign member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR in 1968.