Saima Wazed calls for collaborative health leadership in Southeast Asia

Saima Wazed, WHO regional director for Southeast Asia, has emphasised the creation of a roadmap for the priority programmes that will guide the strategic direction during her term.

She said this while addressing the Regional Consultation on WHO South-East Asia Priority Programme Initiative in New Delhi recently.

These programmes were developed with contributions from member states, aiming to address key health issues across the region and achieve transnational and multigenerational benefits.

Wazed shared her vision for the region, focusing on a holistic approach to health and well-being. She emphasised prioritising the health of women, children, and marginalised groups such as persons with disabilities and underscored the goal of achieving universal health coverage within primary health care.

She also highlighted the need for strong partnerships and collaborations beyond traditional health system boundaries to address determinants of health outside these systems.

She stressed that in working with a new and expanded range of partners, WHO’s technical leadership, drawn from an extensive network of health professionals, could enrich all collaborations.

Wazed stated, “The roadmap for these programmes is now in your hands. I urge all of you to take ownership of it. This is not my roadmap — it is ours. Please give it the best of your intuition, experience, and expertise.”

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