#Saudi Arabia #Riyadh #Global Health #WHO #Hanan Balkhy

Dr. Hanan H. Balkhy Announces Candidacy for WHO Director-General

In a momentous announcement, Dr. Hanan H. Balkhy, currently the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, has revealed her candidacy for the position of Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Nominated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Balkhy brings over 30 years of experience in clinical medicine, academic research, and international public health leadership. Her commitment is simple yet profound: she aims to build a WHO that the world can truly rely on.

Dr. Balkhy's vision for the WHO is built around three fundamental pillars: building trust, driving impact, and delivering measurable value. She emphasizes the necessity for a WHO that bases its decisions on scientific evidence and transparency. "The world needs a WHO it can depend on," she stated during her announcement. "This means making informed decisions, being prepared for crises, and ensuring universal health coverage transforms from a global commitment into daily reality for people everywhere."

Throughout her extensive career, Dr. Balkhy has focused on combating health threats, strengthening health systems, and assuming leadership roles during times of crisis. Her experiences span across various levels within the WHO framework—national, regional, and global. This unique perspective enables her to understand precisely what member states expect from the organization and what is necessary to meet those expectations.

Her efforts have previously led to the mobilization of over $1.6 billion in additional funding for critical programs, including polio eradication and emergency responses. Speaking about her candidacy, Dr. Balkhy expressed her commitment to a profound change within the WHO—fostering trust through science, demonstrating effectiveness via preventive measures, and showcasing value through measurable outcomes.

Dr. Balkhy's background is remarkable. She has held numerous influential positions, including the first Deputy Director-General of WHO for Antimicrobial Resistance, and has been part of the Global Policy Group of the organization. Her current role involves overseeing WHO's activities in 22 member states that collectively represent more than 750 million people.

The Saudi Minister of Health, Fahad Abdulrahman AlJalajel, praised Dr. Balkhy as one of the leading public health experts globally, noting her dedication to enhancing global health initiatives and her proven leadership skills. Her candidacy comes at a critical juncture for the WHO, as the organization transitions towards implementing a pandemic treaty, strengthening its financing base, and addressing the increasing demands from member states for greater national ownership of health policy priorities.

As part of her candidacy, Dr. Balkhy has begun an international tour, engaging with government representatives, health leaders, and frontline professionals across the globe. Recently, she attended meetings of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Ethiopia and the Regional Committee for Southeast Asia in Timor-Leste. She is scheduled to participate in significant national and multilateral events, including the UN General Assembly and discussions in Washington, D.C., later this month.

Dr. Balkhy’s extensive training took place in Saudi Arabia and the United States, providing her with a broad understanding of diverse healthcare systems and political contexts. Her career path, from patient care to the upper echelons of global health policy, reflects her commitment and expertise. Notably, long before the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a pivotal role in responding to MERS-CoV, helping establish national infection prevention programs in Saudi Arabia and leading the first clinical vaccine study in the country.

The core elements of Dr. Balkhy's program reflect her commitment to a thriving global health organization:

1. Built on Trust: Revitalizing the scientific authority of the WHO, enhancing accountability, and safeguarding its independence.

2. Driven by Impact: A WHO that responds effectively during health emergencies and supports countries during crises.

3. Measured by Value: Promoting universal health coverage, enhancing country capacities, and demonstrating the worth of every resource entrusted to the organization.

Dr. Balkhy expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its nomination, which she believes underscores her leadership role and commitment to global health. For more information on her candidacy and vision, one can visit her official website at hananbalkhy.info.

With her extensive experience and focused vision, Dr. Hanan H. Balkhy seeks to transform the WHO into an organization that fulfills the global community's needs and expectations effectively.