Sligoman leads the fight against global spread of coronavirus



A Sligoman is leading the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

He’s Geneva-based Michael Ryan, from Curry, near the Sligo/Mayo border, who is heading the response of the World Health Organisation to the outbreak, which originated in China.

Trained as a trauma surgeon, Michael Ryan switched to public health after suffering a life-altering back injury during the 1990 war in Iraq.

That led to training in communicable diseases and a fulltime post with the World Health Organisation.

He has since been involved in the fights against Sars, Ebola, bird flu and other threats to global health.

In 2011, he retired and returned to live with his wife and family in Galway.

However, in 2017, after criticism of the WHO’s response to the Ebola crisis, the Organisation set up a separate emergencies programme . . . and asked Ryan to head it.

Local people in Curry tell Ocean FM News the Ryan family left the area years ago but that Michael still occasionally visits.

But given his onerous role at present, he’s unlikely to have the time to visit again anytime soon.

Curry man Terence Marren has been telling Ocean FM News about the family’s connection to the area.



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