The key point: Swissinfo publishes on 31 October 2026 an interview with Hanan Balkhy, candidate for Director-General of the WHO.
The candidate's profile
- Regional Director : she heads the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Knowledge of the institution : this position makes her a candidate from within the organisation.
- Background : a native of Saudi Arabia, she studied medicine in the United States.
His priorities for the WHO
- Health issues : antibiotic resistance, the effects of climate on health and healthcare in conflict zones.
- Protection of health workers : she denounces the normalisation of attacks on hospitals.
- Reform : the WHO must do more with a smaller budget.
In short
This is the first interview in a series produced with the Global Health Centre of the Geneva Graduate Institute. Hanan Balkhy advocates a reformed WHO in the face of declining funding.
