Dr. Frank Konings is a virologist and global health expert with over 15 years of experience, specializing in infectious disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness, and outbreak response at national, regional, and global levels.
He earned a PhD in Microbiology (Virology) from New York University in 2006, focusing on HIV-1 genomic evolution in Cameroon. During his career, he has worked extensively across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, supporting national health authorities in managing major infectious disease threats, including MERS, COVID-19, influenza, Ebola, and antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Konings played a key role in global pandemic response efforts, serving as a member of the WHO HQ COVID-19 Incident Management Support Team and as Coordinator of the Virus Evolution Working Group. Before transitioning to WHO Headquarters, he held leadership roles at WHO regional offices in the Western Pacific (WPRO, Manila) and Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO, Cairo). In addition to leading operational outbreak responses, he has been actively involved in normative work, including the development and implementation of evidence-based national laboratory policies and strategies in Member States.
He has played a key role in nearly all aspects of International Health Regulations (IHR)-related work, with extensive involvement in the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. As a member of the WPRO IHR Joint External Evaluation (JEE) Coordination and Mission Implementation Team, he received the WHO Director General's Rewards for Excellence (2017).
Currently, Dr. Konings is a Senior Advisor to international organizations, academic institutions and foundations, including the International Vaccine Institute, World Bank, The University of Hong Kong and the RIGHT Foundation, focusing on global health security and pandemic preparedness.
