Dr Saima Wazed was confirmed on Tuesday as the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Southeast Asia by the WHO Executive Board in Geneva, Switzerland.

Also the daughter of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Saima begins a five-year term on February 1. She is the first from Bangladesh and the second woman regional director of WHO Southeast Asia Region, according to a WHO press release.

She was nominated as the next regional director in a vote by the Regional Committee for the Southeast Asia on November 1, 2023 in New Delhi, India.

After taking oath as the new regional director, Saima in her acceptance speech said: “I would like to thank the Member States for the trust they have placed in me. There is a lot of work to be done, and I am extremely pleased to be starting this journey at this moment with all of you. I am excited for all that we can, and will, do together in the coming years.”

Emphasising on her priorities, the new regional director said: “The first of these is a strong focus on mental health….a long-neglected area. It is time to turn the tide against the silent illnesses of mental health which impacts every aspect of the lives affected. I will work towards ensuring relative parity between physical and mental health in our healthcare systems.”

“Second, I look forward to devising and implementing specific interventions for women and children, including pregnant women. This will be created with education, empowerment, and prevention in mind. Structured with a life-course approach, this will include comprehensive well-being and health screenings, vaccination and nutrition programs, promotion of both physical and mental well-being, and resilience,” she said.

“Any success we achieve in this area will have multi-generational impacts and benefits which will potentially outlive us all. Successes in this area cascade through societies, even improving the social and economic health of communities,” she added.

The third is the use of technology, Saima said, adding, “This great enabler in our lives over the last few decades allows untold possibilities of innovation across many different spheres of public health. The impact of the digital revolution on healthcare holds immense promise, ranging from telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, to data-driven diagnostics and personalised treatment plans.”

She also emphasised on partnerships, collaboration and financing that’s transparent, sustainable, and provides adequate return on investment.

Her other priority areas include universal health coverage, emergency response and pandemic preparedness, collaboration and partnerships, monitoring and progress reporting, climate change, and focus on marginalised and vulnerable groups.

WHO Director General Ghebreyesus, who attended Saima’s swearing-in ceremony alongside others, also congratulated her in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"You have the confidence and trust of the member states of the South East Asia and of the Executive Board," he wrote.

He said that Saima has been entrusted with guiding the health systems of 11 countries comprising nearly two billion people. The region is extremely diverse, and the range of health challenges is equally diverse.

"Of course, you are not alone. You are supported by a very dedicated and talented team at the Regional Office. You have my full support and trust, and that of my colleagues in headquarters. I look forward to working with you," he added.

In a post on her formal appointment on her X handle, Saima also wrote, “I undertake this responsibility with humility, and with a promise to work with a spirit of cooperation & partnership to implement my vision for our region.”

About Saima Wazed

Saima has a Bachelor degree from Barry University in Florida, US, and holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology. She is a candidate for a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the same university.

Since 2019 she has been an Advisor to the WHO Director-General on Mental Health and Autism and has been a member of WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health since 2014.

She was designated Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in WHO South-East Asia in 2017. She co-authored WHO South-East Asia Regional Strategy on Autism Spectrum Disorder the same year.

She is an Associate Fellow at the Global Health Program Chatham House, UK, Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and NDDs, Dhaka Bangladesh, and Chairperson of the Shuchona Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Saima was conferred ‘Excellence in Public Health’ award by WHO South-East Asia Regional Office in 2014, and Ibrahim Memorial Gold Medal in 2016 by the Dr Ibrahim Memorial Council, Bangladesh, for her work on autism and neurodevelopment disorders.

In 2017, she received International Champion Award from US organisation Shema Kolainu for her work on autism in South-East Asia.

In 2019, she was conferred Innovative Women Leaders in Global Mental Health award by the Global Mental Health Programs, Columbia University, US.