Dhaka: Greater transparency and oversight in the selection of the WHO's regional directors have been requested in letters from more than 60 global and public health professionals. The letter is set against the backdrop of the election for the position of regional director of South East Asia, which has caused significant controversy due to Bangladesh's nomination of Salma Wazed, the daughter of the current prime minister, as one of the candidates, even though it makes no mention of the current election for the various regional offices.
The letter asked for “rigorous validation of the qualifications, competencies and claims of candidates”. As the current director of the office of South East Asia Region (SEARO) Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh’s tenure comes to an end, the two contenders for the post are Salma Wazed and Dr Shambhu Prasad Acharya of Nepal. With a PhD in public health, Dr Acharya has worked with the WHO for more than 30 years. Wazed specialises in autism and holds a master's degree in psychology. Her title includes an honorary doctorate from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, which she received in March 2023.
Wazed’s nomination has sparked charges of nepotism and raised questions about the way candidates are chosen for the post. Critics have pointed out that she does not have “strong technical and public health background and extensive experience in global health” as required by the official criteria for the role. She has refuted these allegations, claiming that for almost a decade she has served as a member of the WHO's Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health and as a mental health and autism advisor to the director general of the WHO.