Elected Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization
I am honoured to serve you in the role of
Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO)
of the World Health Organization (WHO)
Vision
For our people to be protected from preventable health risks in their own contexts, and enabled to lead the healthiest lives possible.
Mission
To strengthen national capacities to provide better public health and clinical services for all our people, supported by a WHO that is more fit to serve them in our Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Our Common Health
New thinking in a new era for the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Priorities
Make healthcare more accessible to all, especially difficult to reach populations
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Our primary commitment is to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the region, ensuring that every individual has access to essential services. This entails bridging healthcare gaps, enhancing affordability and quality, and promoting health equity for all communities. This also means strengthening health system governance and financing on the road to UHC.
Expand country capacities to tackle emergency health demands of the climate crisis, pandemics, disasters, and conflicts
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We will fortify national and collective emergency preparedness and response capabilities to promptly tackle health crises. That includes differentiated specific responses to pandemics, disasters, conflicts, and the climate crisis. We will ensure the effective engagement of our countries in ongoing negotiations for a global pandemic instrument and revisions to the International Health Regulations.
Strengthen public health for disease prevention and health promotion
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We envision a region of thriving and resilient communities that take a holistic approach to well-being. Our commitment involves prioritizing outcomes that mitigate health risks from the altering climate and other lifestyle, social, behavioral, and environmental changes. We will foster innovation in healthcare delivery, recognizing that healthcare approaches must evolve in response to multiple concurrent demands ensuring resilient healthcare systems and equity. We plan a renewed focus on eradicating neglected tropical diseases to complete unfinished business.
Expand partnerships for financing, and sharing knowledge and skills
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Our region was, historically, a medical pioneer. Our traditional culture is also centered on compassion and solidarity. We must build on that. We will unite efforts to expand partnerships within and beyond our region to finance national health goals, and produce more well-trained health workers, thus engaging better with the private sector along the way. We will also support our region’s researchers and academic institutions and active civil society to find better ways to tackle our health needs, facilitate knowledge and skills sharing to strengthen our collective capacities.
Strengthen our Eastern Mediterranean regional and country offices to boost cooperation and better influence global health (Enabler)
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We will strengthen our regional and country offices to boost cooperation with our member states, including by aligning regional health priorities with national agendas. This will have a greater and more sustained impact, and better position our region in global negotiations. That will enable us to assert greater influence in crafting global health policies because international frameworks inevitably impact our region.
About Me
I am a physician with 25 years of substantive experience in public health, community and child health, and communicable diseases including significant expertise in managing outbreak emergencies. I have a proven track record in developing and advancing national healthcare programs in several areas including the strengthening of their health system underpinnings, especially workforce education and development, and expanding quality-controlled services. This includes exercising leadership through membership in senior management teams to formulate and implement critical national health policies. Alongside this, I established a highly commended research program to advance public health from a multisectoral ‘one health’ perspective that links human, animal, and environmental health.
Currently, as Assistant Director General at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, I serve in its highest management team with associated global leadership, strategic direction, and advocacy responsibilities. That also means engaging in partnerships with governments, intergovernmental bodies, philanthropic foundations, and multilateral United Nations and International Financial Institutions.
I am familiar with all parts of the WHO network, including its regional and country offices. That has included the challenges of developing new programs and promoting institutional reforms. I am passionate about my work and having operated extensively across diverse, multi-cultural settings, I appreciate the important benefits of inclusive and participative approaches to handling complex or difficult circumstances.
For more please find my resume in the link
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Current Roles
Assistant Director-General Antimicrobial Resistance, WHO HQ, Geneva
May 2019- Currently
WHO Lead for ACTA-diagnostic pillar (COVID-19 Pandemic), WHO HQ, Geneva
March 2020 – Currently
Assistant Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, WHO HQ, Geneva
Dec 2022 – May 2023
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