Leading health experts and physicians of the country have lauded Saima Wazed’s leadership abilities after she was nominated for the post of World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Director.
In a statement released recently, they noted that South-east Asia is home to more than a quarter of the population of the world. “The public health challenges faced by the eleven member states of this region vary, not just from one country to another but also within the countries themselves. Therefore, the Regional Director (RD) for the WHO South-East Asia Region is a significant and critical position for the betterment of the public health outcomes of the region,” it reads.
In this context, it is important that Bangladesh has nominated Saima Wazed for the position of WHO South-East Asia Regional Director, they said.
The statement further reads: “Bangladesh has been an outstanding example of public health success in the region, and among developing countries across the world. This has happened because of painstaking work and innovative approaches adopted by the Government of Bangladesh over many years.
“Ms Wazed’s long and distinguished career shows us someone who understands many different aspects of public health – as both a practitioner and a policy specialist. At the start of her career, she trained as a school psychologist, and after obtaining her license she worked in underprivileged communities. In the years since, she has expanded her focus to encompass mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders and people with disabilities as both an advocate for these issues as well as a technical expert.”
The leading health experts observed that because of her work, social stigmas in Bangladesh around mental health have for the first time been confronted and challenged.
They acknowledged Saima Wazed’s efforts that have led to the adoption of: Neurodevelopmental Disability Protection Trust Act, 2013; Protection of the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013; National Strategic Plan for Neuro-Developmental Disorders 2016-2021; Mental Health Act, 2018; National Mental Health Policy 2022; and National Mental Health Strategic Plan, 2020-2025.
Read: Saima Wazed best choice for WHO SEARO post, endorses Dr Amit Chakrabarty
"She also displayed her ability to bring together diverse stakeholders. It speaks to her leadership abilities that she has been able to successfully work with a spectrum of partners, including DFID, WHO, WFP, UNICEF, IPNA (BSMMU), NIMH – individually or as part of a team – to develop policy framework and strategic multi-sectorial action plans," the statement reads.
Saima Wazed is the Chairperson of Bangladesh’s National Advisory Committee on Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Autism; an advisor to WHO’s Director General on Mental Health and Autism; and a member of the WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health.
In the role of the Regional Director of the South-East Region of WHO, Bangladesh’s candidate Saima Wazed will be able to harness the value of fostering collaboration and partnerships between various stakeholders in the context of cross-sub regional realities and practical challenges, they hoped.
“It is critically important that a public health leader understands cultural sensitivities, knows how to create public awareness, mobilize resources, mainstream a particular public health concern through generating debates and empower communities in decision-making through consistent advocacy. Ms. Wazed is blessed with a blend of all these qualities.
“We wholeheartedly endorse these words, and further point out that WHO SEARO awarded her for Excellence in Public Health in 2014. In summary, we note her potent blend of practitioner and policy maker, advocate and leader, political and personal acumen, and years of proven tangible outcomes. She is without any doubt an exceptional candidate for Regional Director, and we have no doubt she will excel in the role,” the statement reads.
The signatories include
1. Prof. Ruhal Haque, Member of Parliament, Ex Minister, Health and Family Welfare, Renowned Orthopedics Surgeon.
2. Prof. Dr. Pran Gopal DaBa, Member of Parliament, Ex Vice Chancellor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Renowned ENT specialist
3. Dr. Kinzang P. Tshering, President, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Founding board member, Ability Bhutan Society
4. Prof. Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University,
5. Prof. Dr. Md. Ismail Khan, Vice Chancellor of ChiNagong Medical University
6. Prof. A.H.M. Enayet Hussain, Vice Chancellor of Sylhet Medical University
7. Prof. Dr. A.Z.M. Mostaque Hossain, Vice Chancellor of Rajshahi Medical University
8. Prof. Muhammed Rafiqul Islam, Emeritus Professor of Law, Macquarie University, Australia
9. Prof. Dr Quazi Monirul Islam, former WHO Director, Geneva, Switzerland
10. Prof. Dr. Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Director General, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), President, Society of Surgeons, Bangladesh, Councillor, Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS)
11. Dr. Iqbal Ahmed, former (Manager, Evalua2on and Knowledge base: Technical Coopera2on Department) ILO, Geneva, Switzerland
12. Dr. Abed Chaudhury, Gene2cist and plant biologist and Head of Innova2on at LoamBio, CoFounder of Genofax, actively working on finding remedy for au2sm
13. Prof. Titu Miah, Director General (ADG), Directorate General of Medical Educa2on (DGME), President, Society of Medicine, Vice President, Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons
14. Prof. Shah Monir Hossain, Former Director General of Health Services, MoH&FW, Former Senior na2onal advisor, FAO UN, Former Advisor WHO Country Office, President, Public Health Association of Bangladesh, President, NCD forum
15. Dr. Ferdausi Qadri, PhD, Winner of Independence Award & Magsaysay Award, Division Director, Infec2ous Diseases Division, Head, Mucosal Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, cddr,b, Lead, ideSHi, Mohakhali,
16. Professor Dr. A K Azad Khan, Professor,Department of Gastroenterology, Birdem General Hospital & Ibrahim Medical College
17. Prof. Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, PhD, Educa2onist & Public Health Researcher, Director, Na2onal Ins2tute of Preven2ve & Social Medicine (NIPSOM), Former Addi2onal Director General (ADG), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), President, Epidemiological Associa2on of Bangladesh,
18. Prof. Dr. Baizid Khoorshid Riaz, PhD, Educa2onist & Public Health Researcher Addi2onal Director General (ADG), Directorate General of Medical Educa2on (DGME). Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOH&FW)
19. Prof. Dr. Quazi Deen Mohammad, Director, National Ins2tute of Neuro Science, Renowned Neuro Medicine specialist
20. Prof. Dr. Mahmudur Rahman, PhD (Cambridge, UK), Country Director, EMPHNET, Bangladesh (Support to the US CDC, Bangladesh Country Team), Former Director, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
21. Dr. Halida Hanum Akhter, Faculty, Department of Interna2onal Health, John Hopkins International School of Public Health, Founder President, Society of Health Promotion Link
22. Prof. Dr. Liaquat Ali, PhD, Educa2onist and Public Health Researcher.
23. Former Vice Chancellor (VC), Bangladesh University of Health Science (BUHS) and Prof. Dr. AM Zakir Hussain, PhD, Public Health Expert, Former Regional Advisor, Environmental Health & Climate Change. WHO SEARO.
24. Dr GM Monsur Habib, PhD, RESPIRE Global Post-Doctoral Fellow, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. President & Researcher, Bangladesh Primary Care Respiratory Society (BPCRS), BANGLADESH
25. Dr. Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director and Scientist, Interna2onal Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
26. Dr. Abu Jamil Faisel, Member of the Prime Minister's National Population Council and three MOHFW technical committees, Adjunct faculty member of Dhaka University's Population Sciences Department and the State University of Bangladesh (SUB) and American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB) MPH programs since 2004. (AIUB), President (Elect), Public Health association of Bangladesh