Elizabeth Iro is the World Health Organization Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) who commenced in this role in January 2018. She is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mrs Iro is from the Cook Islands, prior to taking up her role in WHO she served as her country’s Secretary of Health since 2012- 2017. She was the first nurse/midwife and woman to be appointed in this role in the Cook Islands. Her priorities while in this role focused on legislative reforms to strengthen the country’s health system and developing National Health Strategic plans (2012-2016, 2017-2021) and a National Health Road Map 2017-2036. Mrs Iro was trained in New Zealand as a nurse and a midwife and holds a MHSc in Nursing and a MBA. She held various nursing roles such as Chief Nursing Officer (2011-2012), Registrar of the Nursing Council (2000-2007) as well was the President of the Cook Islands Nurses Association (2002-2010).
