Several public health experts react optimistically at Saima Wazed's nomination for the post of WHO SEARO Director

Several distinguished public health experts, notably former World Health Organization (WHO) officials from South Asian countries and celebrated researchers, have reacted optimistically at the nomination of Saima Wazed by the Government of Bangladesh for the post of Regional Director of WHO's South-East Asia Region (SEARO), saying her victory would add fresh impetus for the region.

Starting from scratch, Saima Wazed's relentless efforts have brought real and measurable gains in mental health policy – an important area that remained neglected for decades. This hidden menace has taken a heavy toll on countless lives, but thanks to her persistent work Bangladesh has become a voice for South Asia on the global stage on this topic.

Saima Wazed presents souvenir to PM Modi in presence of PM Hasina

Saima Wazed's career in the public health system spans several countries, is cross-cutting and goes from raising awareness to strategic program development. Her experience in public health leadership began in 2011, when she organized an international event titled 'Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities' in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In partnership with WHO, BSMMU and the Government of Bangladesh, the 5-day conference launched the Global Autism Public Health Initiative (GAPH) and culminated in the adoption of the Dhaka Declaration on Autism which she helped draft. The goals later formulated the basis for 3 international resolutions on autism adopted by WHO-SEAR (SEA/ RC65/68), the United Nations General Assembly (67/82) and the World Health Assembly (WHA 67.8), and the launching of the Southeast Asia Autism Network (SAAN).

Saima Wazed nominated for WHO Regional Director

In Bangladesh, she is the Chief Advisor for the National Mental Health Strategic Plan 2020-2025, and since 2012 has been Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and NDDs. In 2014, she started her not-for-profit organization. The foundation is in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2019 and a member of the UNESCAP Working Group on Disability since May 2018. She actively participated in the Fifth Session of the Working Group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2013-2022) in 2019, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

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Shuchona Foundation, under Saima Wazed's leadership, developed a manual, titled 'Creating Enriched Environment – a training manual for building parents'/caregivers' capacity to develop children's social communication and emotional skills from birth to five years,' in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs and UNICEF and an inclusive education manual, titled 'Strategies for Inclusion: Teaching-Learning and Assessment,' with Ministry of Education, in alignment with the 'National Strategic Plan for Neurodevelopmental Disorders 2016-2021' of the Government of Bangladesh. Shuchona Foundation, in collaboration with ICI of University of Massachusetts Boston, prepared the National Strategic Plan for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2016-2030, for the Government of Bangladesh, at the request of its National Steering Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Initially developed for 5 years, the timeline for it has been extended till 2030 to align with the SDGs.

The team also developed Crisis Preparedness and Management for Mental Health (CPM-MH) training manual, adapted from the Community Crisis Response Team Training Manual of the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). This manual, with permission from NOVA, was modified and culturally adapted in 2017.

It also assisted in the development of the WHO Collaborative Framework for Addressing ASD in the South-East Asia Region, presented at the International Conference on Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ANDD 2017) in Thimphu, Bhutan. Additionally, Shuchona Foundation was commissioned by the WHO SEARO to develop the National Strategic Plan on NDDs for the Royal Government of Bhutan in 2019; advocated for Bangladesh Mental Health Act 2018; provided technical expertise in developing the National Strategic Plan for Mental Health 2020-2030 for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and provided extensive input during the development phase of the National Mental Health Policy 2022.

"Saima Wazed is a well-recognized public health expert known especially for her 'path-breaking' role in addressing autism at regional and global forums, an area which was not addressed adequately so far. She was the Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in WHO Southeast Asia region. Her interventions have brought this area of work into the attention of most countries, especially in Southeast Asia. She carries a very personal human touch along with her technical expertise. She will be an excellent choice for the top WHO position in the SEA region," said Dr. B.B. Rewari, former regional advisor-Hepatitis/HIV/STIs, World Health Organization's regional office for South-East Asia.

In reference to the double whammy emanating from COVID-19 and emergence of dengue on a pandemic scale, Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Fazle Akbar, a visiting researcher from Ehime University, Japan, stated, "Being a woman and devoting her career for children with unprivileged status, Saima Wazed is the proper contender for this post, directed towards the wellbeing of not only Bangladesh but also the entire South-East Asia region, and this may be extended to the entire world. Kudos to her courage to enter the global paradigm of health for resolving the most painful realities of human beings. As Bangladeshis, we are proud of her and hoping for a successful outcome."

Another eminent professor Guru P. Dhakal, Dean, Faculty of Postgraduate Medicine, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, found her commitment to improving public health outcomes in the Southeast Asia Region to be "truly remarkable" while her experience in mental health advocacy (management of autism spectrum disorders), capacity building, and her work on various international platforms to be "exceptionally well-suited" for the role of the regional director.

"I have the utmost confidence that she would excel in this role, driving forward WHO's mission to improve health outcomes for the people of Southeast Asia. I wholeheartedly recommend her for this important position and believe that she will make significant contributions to the region's health and well-being," he said.

WHO SEARO is one of the six regional offices of the World Health Organization, composed of representatives of the member states.

"If elected, I plan on working in close collaboration with the member states to realise my vision for the public health policies and practices of our region. I believe working in partnerships, and hearing from communities themselves to create lasting solutions that work from the ground up. This has characterised my work till date, and this is what I hope to bring to this role," Saima Wazed earlier told the media.

Since 2020, she has served as Thematic Ambassador for 'Vulnerability' for the Climate Vulnerable Forum, and from 2017 to 2019 was appointed as WHO SEARO's Goodwill Ambassador for Autism. In August 2023, she was appointed as an Associate Fellow at the Global Health Program at Chatham House, where she has also been serving since 2022 as a Commissioner at the Commission for Universal Health.

Wazed is currently completing her doctoral studies at Barry University (USA) in Organizational Leadership. She has been the advisor to the Director-General of WHO on Mental Health and Autism since 2019 and is a member of WHO's Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health since 2014.

Her current academic and training work includes being Adjunct Faculty at Barry University in the USA, visiting faculty at Dhaka University, visiting specialist at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital, and visiting faculty at the National Institute of Mental Health in Dhaka.

She has been invited to speak at several high-level conferences and events around the world, including side events at the UN General Assembly in USA, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda, the World Assembly of Women in Japan, COP26 and 27 in Scotland and Egypt respectively, UNESCO's High Level Roundtable in Sri Lanka, the Global Child Nutrition Forum in Cambodia, the World Economic Forum in India, the World Congress of Psychiatry in Portugal, and others.

She is a licensed school psychologist, and recipient of Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Student Research awarded by the Division of International Psychology (Div. 52) of the American Psychological Association in 2003. She worked in the public school system of Orange County and Duval County, in Florida (USA) for over three years.

Over her years of service, she has received a number of international awards, including a citation for Excellence in Public Health by WHO SEARO, the Distinguished Alumni Award by Barry University in the USA, International Champion Award by Shema Kolainu in the USA, and was listed by Columbia University as an Innovative (Women) Leader in Global Mental Health.

The Government of Nepal has nominated its candidate alongside Bangladesh for the post.