Bangladesh PM's daughter nominated as WHO's South-East Asia director

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's daughter Saima Wazed, a mental health expert, has been nominated as the next regional director of the World Health Organization's South-East Asia region.

Dr Shambhu Prasad Acharya, a senior WHO official, was the other candidate. He was nominated by Nepal.

The member states voted to nominate Wazed to the post during a closed meeting at the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the South-East Asia Region.

The nomination will be submitted to the WHO Executive Board during its 154th session which will take place from January 22 to 27 in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a statement from the world health body.

Wazed will take office on February 1, 2024.