Saima Wazed
Saima took office as WHO Regional Director for the South-East Asia Region on 1 February 2024 for a five-year term, to direct international health work in 11 countries with a population of over 2 billion people. Earlier, she served as advisor to the WHO Director-General on mental health and autism, and was a member of WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health. Saima was Commissioner of Chatham House’s Commission for Universal Health, Associate Fellow in the Global Health Programme at Chatham House and Thematic Ambassador for ‘Vulnerability’ of the Climate Vulnerable Forum. A licensed School Psychologist, Saima is nationally certified in the USA, holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in clinical psychology, and a Specialist degree in school psychology from Barry University in Florida, USA.