Hanan Balkhi Leads Candidate Race for Top Global Health Role

Saudi Arabia’s selection of Hanan Balkhi as a candidate for the World Health Organisation leadership from 2027 to 2032 reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to women’s rights. Balkhi is among the first Saudi women nominated for this prominent international role, and her candidacy brings attention to her professional background for those unfamiliar with her achievements.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing a unique moment, not only in economic terms, but also in terms of supporting and exporting Saudi women to represent their country and the globe in international forums and organisations.

From Jeddah to the Infectious Disease Realm

After graduating from King Abdulaziz University’s Faculty of Medicine in Jeddah in 1991, Hanan Balkhi relocated to the United States to further her medical education. The American Board of Paediatrics qualified her in 1996 when she finished her residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she specialised in paediatrics.

However, her interest in paediatrics did not end there. In 1999, she finished her fellowship in the field of infectious disorders in children. Following that, she went back to Saudi Arabia to start a new career in medicine, research, and teaching.

In 2009, she graduated with a master’s degree in medical education from King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Since then, she has focused more on infectious illnesses, antibiotic resistance, and infection prevention and control. She has held leadership positions in the Saudi health industry after earning her degrees, overseeing infectious illness research at the King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre in Riyadh and working in infection prevention and control at the Ministry of National Guard.

Besides, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which first surfaced in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012, was the most notable of the health issues and epidemics she helped combat. In addition to serving on national committees pertaining to infectious illnesses and epidemics, she took part in activities pertaining to infection control and disease response.

Further, she directed the Gulf Cooperation Council facility for Infection Control for over ten years, and she also took on duties at a collaborating facility with the World Health Organisation in Riyadh. Her work extended beyond the medical field. Over 150 scientific papers and publications were published by her over her research career.

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Antibiotic Resistance & Leadership in the Eastern Mediterranean

Balkhi moved to the World Health Organisation itself in 2019 to take up the role of Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance after accumulating these skills. Following her election as the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean in 2023, she became the first woman to head the regional office since its founding and began her official duties in February 2024, marking the most significant and significant turning point in her life.

The mission was challenging since the region you oversee consists of 22 nations and territories with a population of around 745 million. At the same time, the countries in the region are dealing with conflicts, diseases, disasters, and health and humanitarian problems. In her regional role, Balkhi has concentrated on several topics, such as increasing health care access, particularly for people who are difficult to reach, and enhancing nations’ ability to respond to conflicts, epidemics, disasters, and the effects of climate change.

Additionally, it concentrated on public health and prevention, growing finance and collaborations, and enhancing the regional office’s skills. She gained firsthand knowledge in handling intricately linked health emergencies as a result of this encounter, which is crucial for anyone hoping to run a multinational corporation.

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From the Region to the WHO Leadership Race

Saudi Arabia recognised that Hanan Balkhi was the appropriate woman in the right position; therefore, she entered the contest to challenge Adhanom Ghebreyesus for the role of Director-General of the World Health Organisation. On August 15, 2027, Ghebreyesus’s second and last tenure comes to a close. The next day, the next Director-General takes office. Nominations for his replacement will be accepted until September 24. The selection process started in April 2026.

The World Health Organisation formally listed Balkhi and Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, who was nominated from Qatar, as possible candidates in August 2026. However, there won’t be a straight route to the post. The competition will go to the World Health Assembly, which will elect the new Director-General by secret ballot, following the conclusion of the nomination period. The Executive Council of the organisation will evaluate the contenders and then choose a shortlist of up to three names.

Furthermore, the first candidate forum will take place in November 2026, followed by the shortlisting and nomination stages in January 2027, culminating in the final elections at the World Health Assembly. Ultimately, Hanan Balkhi’s local, regional, and global expertise puts her in a strong position to win. She is a strong contender for acceptance because of her professional career, which makes her application tough to reject. Waiting dominates as the elections proceed, and the identity of the global position winner remains unknown.

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