Presenting Saima Wazed, a leader par excellence, for the regional leadership of global body for public health

Joint statement:

Presenting Saima Wazed, a leader par excellence, for the regional leadership of global body for public health

 

Prof Dr Quazi Monirul Islam

Dr Manuel Carballo

Dr Rik Guidotti

Dr Iqbal Ahmed

Professor Muhammed Rafiqul Islam

Mr Abed Chaudhury

 

The World Health Organization’s South-East Asian Region is a critical geographical location in the context of public health. It covers eleven countries from South, Southeast and East Asia, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor Leste. The public health challenges the region faces are wide ranging, and include infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health and mental health. There are also major pressing issues, such as improving access to healthcare, management of environmental health and climate change and health and welfare of the elderly. 

The WHO Regional Office guiding and working for countries on these public health issues must, therefore, be led by someone who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership qualities with an exceptional blend of knowledge, experience in and passion for the field of public health fitting the needs of people in this vast region. We cannot think of anyone better suitable than Ms. Saima Wazed for the post of Regional Director of WHO SEARO.  

A recognizable figure in the public health sector Ms. Saima Wazed wears many hats. She is Chairperson of Bangladesh’s National Advisory Committee on Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Autism; an Advisor to WHO’s Director General on Mental Health & Autism, and a member of the WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health. 

Ms. Wazed contributed immensely to the drafting of, and then playing a strong advocacy role in the adoption of the Neurodevelopmental Disability Protection Trust Act, 2013; Protection of the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013; Mental Health Act, 2018; National Mental Health Policy 2022 and National Mental Health Strategic Plan, 2020-2025. She has worked with DFID, WHO, WFP, UNICEF, IPNA (BSMMU), NIMH either individually or as part of a team, indeveloping policy frameworks and strategic multi-sectorial action plans. 

Public health is not only a medical concern but also a question of leadership, and in this regard, Regional Director of the South-East Region of WHO, Bangladesh’s candidate Ms. Wazed will harness and give added value to fostering collaboration and partnerships between a wide range of stakeholders within the region and also with other WHO regions, as they address cross-sub regional realities and operational challenges. Ms, Wazed has a proven track record of bringing diverse groups together to address complex public health challenges. She is known for her innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities, and she has been consistently at the forefront of initiatives that have resulted in tangible improvements in public health outcomes. 

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. For example, in Bangladesh, it was thanks to her meaningful and insightful advocacy and initiatives, that phenomenal changes were achieved in the societal knowledge and attitudes to mental health. It was in great part due to her persistence that social stigma to mental health problems has been eroded, and parents are no longer hiding children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Her special attention and enthusiasm for mental health issues will also help to bring human rights and gender perspectives to the public health discourse. As thematic Ambassador of Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), she is similarly well positioned to explore the link between climate change induced extreme weather events and public health challenges, and provide evidence-based policy options to countries. 

Ms. Wazed has been working with the WHO Member States, civil society organizations and NGOs on public health issues for many years. She knows, from her personal experience, the many practical challenges that countries face on the ground. In this regard, agenda if she is elected to the position of RD of WHO SEARO, she will always keep Member States’ priorities on top of WHO’s agenda and under her leadership. Member States’ will have a stronger voice within the WHO SEARO. 

As the national delegate as well as in her individual capacity, Ms, Wazed regularly attends health related international, regional and national events in order to keep track on the discussions and decisions on the health issues. In recognition of her depth of knowledge on public health issues, she has been offered speaking engagements in numerous health related events and anchored a number of high-profile events in the region.

At the same time, Ms.  Wazed has developed important associations and engagements with a number of national, regional and global initiatives, and her contributory role as a public health advocate has been recognized by many international and national institutions and organizations. This recognition made it possible for her to be instrumental in the adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution on ‘Addressing the socioeconomic needs of individuals, families and societies affected by autism spectrum disorders, developmental disorders and associated disabilities’ adopted on 19 March 2013.

What we find most appreciable about Ms. Wazed, what we are proud of, is that she has relentlessly worked across the board, with everyone from grassroot level to the top policymakers. Her passion and her vision which she has cherished from an early age has made all this possible. Her personal investment in her education, her qualifications, in public health domain, and above all, her commitment to  the wellbeing of humanity has shone. The Saima Wazed that we are strongly recommending here for the post of Regional Director of WHO SEARO, was not created in a day; it is the result of a life-long quest for excellence! 

We wish Ms. Saima Wazed all the best.

 

Signed/-

Prof Dr Quazi Monirul Islam, former WHO Director, Geneva, Switzerland

Dr Manuel Carballo, Executive Director, Centre for Migration, Health and Development and former WHO Senior Scientist, Geneva, Switzerland

Dr Rik Guidotti, former WHO Medical Officer, Geneva, Switzerland

Dr Iqbal Ahmed, former (Manager, Evaluation and Knowledge base: Technical Cooperation Department) ILO, Geneva, Switzerland

Professor Muhammed Rafiqul Islam, Emeritus Professor of Law, Macquarie University, Australia

Mr Abed Chaudhury, Head of Scientific Innovation LoamBio, a global company and former Chief Scientist, CSIRO, Australia