Dr João Breda is the head of the WHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office, officer in charge and special representative. Before moving to Greece João has been posted in WHO Senior Positions in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Moscow (Russian Federation). 

The Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office aims to improve quality of care and patient safety at country level and focusing on reducing inequalities while promoting health innovation and leadership. Dr Breda lead the team at the WHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office since 2021 while supporting the Regional Director in setting-up new Projects particularly in Southern European Countries. These Initiatives are mainly focused on Quality of Care and Patient Safety as well as Public Health Leadership. The WHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office has been engaging in a wide range of activities to promote and develop high-performing health systems across the Region. The Office has also reached out to a wider audience through 11 published reports, 21 draft studies, two evaluation tools, and 34 scientific publications to promote knowledge-sharing.

João is the co-director of the five editions of the WHO European Public Health Leadership Course also led the team to design and implement the First and second WHO European Autumn School on Quality of Care, Lisbon, October 2023 & 2024. Until 2021 he headed the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office). In 2019, the team he was leading was given an Award of Excellence announced by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, which acknowledges the exceptional contribution to the Organization, tangible gains, and achievements. For eleven years Dr João Breda was programme manager for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, responsible for the development and implementation and evaluation of the European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015-2020 and the Physical Activity Strategy for the WHO European Region 2016-2025. 

Dr Breda was also the recipient of the Gold Medal for outstanding services in the field of Health granted by the Portuguese Ministry of Health in 2018.  He also received more than 20 scientific and academic awards. João Breda has published more than 300 original academic articles and reports, as well as more than 20 original books (including the best seller on infant nutrition in Portugal) and has more than 15000 citations. He is also considered to be among the top 1% researchers on obesity, globally.

Dr João Breda is a PhD in Food Consumption & Nutritional Sciences by Porto University, a Master of Business Administration by the EU Business School in Barcelona, a master’s in public health and initially graduated in Nutritional Sciences. He is proficient in English, Spanish and Portuguese (mother tongue), intermediate knowledge of French and basic Russian.