Saudi Arabia nominates Hanan Balkhy to lead WHO

Saudi Arabia has nominated Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy for the post of director-general of the World Health Organization for the 2027-2032 term, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The Kingdom said the nomination reflects its belief in the WHO’s central role in strengthening global health security and helping countries build more efficient, sustainable and resilient health systems capable of responding to current and future health challenges.

According to SPA, Saudi Arabia said the move also underscores its commitment to multilateral health cooperation and to supporting international efforts focused on prevention, emergency preparedness and response, universal health coverage and improving access to health services for communities most in need.

Balkhy currently serves as WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, a position she has held since 2024. She previously served as the organization’s assistant director-general for antimicrobial resistance.

She has extensive experience in public health, infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, health security, health systems and international health, SPA said, as well as leadership experience within the WHO at the country, regional and global levels.

In a post on X, Balkhy said she was “deeply grateful” to Saudi Arabia for nominating her, thanking King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support for health in the Kingdom and for Saudi Arabia’s contribution to global health.

“I spent my career as a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist and scientist,” Balkhy said, describing a career that ranged from caring for vulnerable children to working on the front lines of the response to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS-CoV, years before the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said those experiences strengthened her belief in “the power of science, the importance of preparedness, and the value of cooperation” in turning evidence and knowledge into action.

Since taking up her current WHO role in 2024, Balkhy said she has worked with 22 member states representing more than 750 million people across the Eastern Mediterranean region.

She said the WHO must “strengthen trust, deliver impact, and demonstrate the value it provides to every member state,” adding that she looked forward to working with countries, colleagues and partners around the world on the organization’s future.

Saudi Arabia said Balkhy’s nomination reflects its ambition to contribute to the continued development of the WHO, strengthen its ability to respond to the needs of member states and reinforce the principles of equity, transparency and efficiency.

The Kingdom also said it would support stronger international partnerships aimed at improving health and well-being worldwide.