For more than three decades, Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy has worked at the intersection of clinical medicine, scientific research, and public health. What began as a career treating children with infectious diseases in hospitals has developed into a leadership role influencing healthcare across entire countries.
Today, she serves as the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, overseeing international health cooperation across 22 countries and territories. In 2024, she became the first woman appointed to this position. Her journey reflects the growing contribution of Saudi medical professionals to global healthcare, supported by years of clinical experience, research, and institutional leadership.
Rooted in Knowledge, Sharpened by Experience
Dr. Hanan Balkhy graduated from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah in 1992 with a medical degree before pursuing specialist training in the United States. Between 1993 and 1996, she completed her pediatric internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston. She then undertook a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Case Western Reserve University, completing her training in 1999.
She received American Board certification in Pediatrics in 1996 and Pediatric Infectious Diseases in 2003. She also earned certification in Infection Control and Epidemiology in 2003. Recognising the importance of developing future healthcare professionals, she completed a Master's in Medical Education at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh in 2009.
Her scientific interests developed early. During her specialist training, she researched Salmonella infections and immune responses, gaining experience in laboratory research alongside clinical medicine. These foundations shaped her understanding of how infections affect patients and how research can improve their prevention and treatment.
Clinical Expertise in Infectious Diseases and Prevention
Much of Dr. Hanan Balkhy's professional career developed at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, where she served as a Consultant in Pediatric Infectious Diseases from 2001 to 2019. Her responsibilities extended beyond treating individual patients. Between 2001 and 2006, she served as a hospital epidemiologist, investigating healthcare-associated infections and supporting measures to reduce their spread.
In 2009, she became Executive Director of Infection Prevention and Control, a position she held for a decade. Her clinical and scientific work focused on several important areas:
- Infection prevention: Reducing hospital-acquired infections through safer practices.
- Disease surveillance: Monitoring infectious diseases and identifying emerging risks.
- Antimicrobial stewardship: Promoting the responsible use of antibiotics.
- Outbreak response: Supporting effective responses to infectious-disease threats.
- Clinical research: Studying resistant pathogens and regional infectious diseases.
- Medical education: Strengthening professional training and infection-control knowledge.
She also led the Gulf Cooperation Council Centre for Infection Control and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial Resistance between 2010 and 2019. These responsibilities connected Saudi Arabia's clinical expertise with regional and international healthcare institutions.
A Career Built on Research and Academic Leadership
Alongside clinical practice, Dr. Hanan Balkhy helped strengthen infectious-disease research within Saudi Arabia. At King Abdullah International Medical Research Center in Riyadh, she led research examining hospital-acquired infections, drug-resistant bacteria, and diseases relevant to the region, including Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Salmonella, and brucellosis.
From 2013 to 2019, she chaired the centre's Infectious Diseases Research Department. She also progressed through academic appointments at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, becoming a professor in 2017.
Her commitment to scientific publication included serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Infection and Public Health from 2009 to 2019. Her contributions have received international recognition, including the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America's International Award in 2012 and research awards from King Abdullah International Medical Research Center. These achievements established her reputation as a physician who combined patient care with institutional improvement and scientific evidence.
Leading the Global Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance
In 2019, Dr. Hanan Balkhy was appointed the WHO's first Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance, based at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria develop the ability to withstand medicines used against them. As treatments become less effective, common infections can become more difficult to manage, threatening patient safety worldwide.
For Dr. Balkhy, this appointment represented an expansion of work she had pursued for years in Saudi Arabia. At WHO, she helped lead international efforts to improve disease surveillance, support responsible antimicrobial use, encourage research, and strengthen national responses to drug-resistant infections.
Her responsibilities also required cooperation across healthcare, agriculture, research, and government institutions, recognising that antimicrobial resistance extends beyond hospitals. The appointment placed a Saudi infectious-disease specialist in a senior position shaping one of the world's most pressing public health priorities.
A Historic Appointment at the World Health Organization
On January 23, 2024, the WHO Executive Board appointed Dr. Hanan Balkhy as Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. She officially assumed office on February 1, becoming the first woman to lead the regional office. Based in Cairo, Egypt, she became responsible for directing WHO's international health work across a region serving approximately 745 million people at the time of her appointment.
The region faces complex health challenges, including disease outbreaks, humanitarian emergencies, displacement, shortages of medical supplies, and unequal access to essential healthcare. Her leadership priorities focus on improving healthcare access, strengthening emergency preparedness, advancing disease prevention, expanding partnerships, and making regional health systems more resilient.
Under her leadership, the WHO's 2025–2028 regional strategic plan introduced three flagship initiatives: improving equitable access to essential medical products, strengthening the healthcare workforce, and addressing substance use as a public health concern. These priorities reflect her transition from managing infections within hospitals to helping governments strengthen the systems that protect entire populations.
Advancing Saudi Arabia's Presence in Global Health
Dr. Hanan Balkhy's international career also demonstrates the contribution of Saudi Arabia's healthcare institutions to global health governance. Her expertise developed through clinical practice, research, and leadership positions in Riyadh before expanding to WHO headquarters and regional management.
During an official visit to Saudi Arabia in January 2026, she met government officials to discuss medicine and vaccine production, health-system resilience, digital cooperation, and international health partnerships. These discussions highlighted opportunities for Saudi Arabia's expanding healthcare and pharmaceutical capabilities to contribute to regional public health needs.
Her position also carries responsibilities beyond any single country. As WHO Regional Director, she works with member states and international partners to advance health objectives across the Eastern Mediterranean. Her career illustrates how national medical expertise can become a contribution to international cooperation, scientific dialogue, and improved healthcare access.
Looking Ahead: A Candidacy for WHO Director-General
In August 2026, Saudi Arabia nominated Dr. Balkhy for the position of WHO Director-General for the 2027–2032 term. She formally launched her candidacy in September, presenting a vision focused on restoring trust, strengthening preparedness, and improving accountability within international health governance.
Her candidacy marks another significant development in a career spanning pediatric medicine, medical research, infection prevention, and global health leadership. The next WHO Director-General is expected to be elected in May 2027, making her nomination an important opportunity for Saudi representation in international public health leadership.
Throughout her professional journey, Dr. Balkhy has maintained a consistent focus on prevention, scientific evidence, and partnerships. Her career shows how the experience gained in treating individual patients can develop into responsibility for improving the health of millions. From hospital wards in Riyadh to international health discussions in Geneva and Cairo, her work continues to demonstrate the value of medical expertise in building stronger and more accessible healthcare systems worldwide.
To follow Dr. Hanan Balkhy's work and international health initiatives, visit the World Health Organization's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office.
