Kathmandu, November 1
Saima Wazed of Bangladesh emerged victorious over Nepal’s Shambhu Prasad Acharya in the election held in New Delhi on Wednesday, securing the position of Regional Director of South-East Asia for the World Health Organization (WHO).
Wazed, who is the daughter of Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, beat Acharya by 8 votes to 2.
WHO’s South-East Asia region consists of 11 countries as members, which include Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, North Korea, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor Leste.
Health Ministers of these 11 countries take turns as regional heads and they select the Regional Director by voting or consensus.
This time, health ministers from 10 countries, excluding Myanmar, have participated in the selection of the Regional Director.
As a consequence of the military rule in Myanmar and the United Nations’ non-recognition of the regime, Myanmar was unable to exercise its voting rights in the selection of the Regional Director this time.
