Saima Wazed looks forward to building healthier Southeast Asia

After winning the election for the post of WHO regional director, Saima Wazed in an instant reaction on Wednesday said she was looking forward "to building a healthier Southeast Asia".

She paid tribute to the outgoing regional director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, for her decade of service to the public health of the region.

She also paid a special tribute to her rival candidate, Dr Shambhu Prasad Acharya of Nepal, and said he had been an "invaluable asset" to the WHO, hoping that Southeast Asia would continue to benefit from his knowledge and experience.

Saima took to X, formerly Twitter, to express her instant reaction after the election in which she got eight votes out of 10.

"Thank you to @WHOSEARO Member States for choosing me to be their next Regional Director!

"I would like to pay tribute to our outgoing RD, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, for her decade of service to the public health of our region.

"A special tribute as well for my fellow nominee in this race, Dr. Acharya. In his long & distinguished career, he has been an invaluable asset to @WHO - and I hope our region will continue to benefit from his knowledge & experience.

"I look forward to building a healthier South-East Asia," reads her post.

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, 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 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.