Saima Wazed Wins WHO Regional Director Election

Saima Wazed has won the election of the World Health Organization’s regional director for Southeast Asia which is composed of eleven countries.

Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea DPRK, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste took part in the voting in New Delhi on Wednesday (November 1), the third day of the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia. Myanmar, the other member, did not attend the meeting.

Saima had secured won eight votes, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said. The other candidate, Dr Shambhu Prasad Acharya, nominated by Nepal, received two votes.

Saima Wazed is the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and is globally famed for her role as a mental health expert—particularly autism. She is an advisor to the WHO’s director-general for mental health.

Her name will now be submitted for appointment by the 154th session of the WHO Executive Board, which will take place on January 22–27, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.

After that she will take office on February 1 for a five-year term and be eligible for reappointment once.

With that, Saima Wazed will be the first Bangladeshi to hold the post created in 1948 as part of WHO's regional divisions.