The Imperative of Public Health Expertise in Ecuadorian Health Leadership: A Call for Competency-Based Appointments.

The article discusses the importance of public health expertise in Ecuadorian health leadership, highlighting the need for ministers of health to have advanced degrees in public health to effectively address the nation's health challenges. It analyzes the impact of different health ministers on infant mortality rates in Ecuador from 1998 to 2024, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based leadership in improving public health outcomes. The article also addresses issues of corruption, mismanagement, and the lack of public health expertise during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the need for competent and skilled health leaders to drive sustainable health improvements in Ecuador. [Extracted from the article]