Saima Wazed

Saima Wazed took office as WHO Regional Director for the South-East Asia Region on 1 February 2024 for a five-year term. In this role, Ms Wazed will direct international health work in 11 countries with a population of over 2 billion people. Prior to taking up this role, Ms Wazed 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. She was Chief Advisor for the National Mental Health Strategic Plan for the Government of Bangladesh, Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Focal Person for disability for the Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief in Bangladesh. She was Commissioner of Chatham House’s Commission for Universal Health, Associate Fellow in the Global Health Programme at Chatham House, Thematic Ambassador for ‘Vulnerability’ of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, and Chairperson of the Shuchona Foundation in Bangladesh. Ms Wazed, a licensed School Psychologist, 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.