Dr. Hanan Balkhy, Saudi Arabia’s candidate to lead the World Health Organization (WHO), has outlined a comprehensive vision for strengthening the agency’s global health impact amid ongoing challenges. Speaking on the program “Frankly Speaking,” Balkhy emphasized rebuilding international cooperation, expanding funding, and translating scientific guidance into tangible healthcare improvements as central priorities.
Currently on leave from her role as WHO’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Balkhy pointed to the need to enhance trust in the WHO as a science-based, multilateral health body. Drawing on her extensive experience as a physician, scientist, and public health official at both regional and headquarters levels within WHO, she highlighted gaps between policy guidance and implementation on the ground.
Addressing reforms, Balkhy cited infection prevention and control standards she had helped develop as an example of guidelines that require better integration into hospital and community settings. “To actualize those core components and guidelines, you need to understand how hospitals operate and how communities engage with national healthcare authorities,” she said.
Reestablishing cooperation with the United States also emerged as a key focus. Balkhy stressed that the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO undermined not only financial support but also the contribution of American health experts to the global health community. She expressed her intent to engage with countries that have left the organization to understand their concerns and seek their return to multilateral discussions.
Funding remains a significant challenge for the WHO. Balkhy advocates for clarifying the organization’s core mandate, reassessing relationships with other UN bodies, and operating effectively within existing budgetary constraints. She also proposed exploring Islamic health financing mechanisms, endowments, and strengthened public-private partnerships to support both national health systems and the WHO itself. She cautioned that sudden budget cuts could jeopardize disease control efforts.
Balkhy underscored the critical importance of cooperation in conflict zones such as Gaza, Sudan, and Syria, where damaged infrastructure and instability pose risks of disease outbreaks. She praised WHO’s emergency health work in Gaza and emphasized that such efforts protect global populations by reducing transmission risks. The WHO’s roles include surveillance, outbreak detection, immunization continuity, documentation of health facility attacks, and advocacy for respect of international law. However, she acknowledged limits in the agency’s ability to address conflicts directly.
In Syria, WHO supports a national health strategy involving facility rehabilitation, institutional capacity-building, medical licensing, and educational initiatives, along with efforts to encourage diaspora health professionals to return. Balkhy noted that advancing recovery in Syria remains a long-term endeavor.
On outbreak preparedness, Balkhy highlighted the need to foster trust so that countries report emergencies promptly without fear of stigma or political fallout. Encouraging early reporting, she said, is critical for limiting disease spread and reducing impact. While diplomatic sensitivity is necessary, she stressed ongoing dialogue to address reluctance rather than public confrontation.
Balkhy also referenced her work combating antimicrobial resistance, emphasizing the importance of multisectoral cooperation across health, agriculture, and environmental ministries. She supports national committees and sustained technical assistance to ensure effective implementation of resistance action plans.
Drawing on Saudi Arabia’s health reforms, Balkhy pointed to innovations such as digital health services, virtual hospitals, and preventive care measures as models that could benefit other countries. She emphasized prevention’s cost-effectiveness in addressing widespread conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity and noted WHO initiatives promoting healthier lifestyles.
When asked about measurable goals for her first year as WHO director-general, Balkhy refrained from specific numerical targets. Instead, she expressed a commitment to improving member states’ performance, technical expertise, and support, with the overarching aim of building a WHO “built on trust, driven by impact and measured by the value that we provide for the people that we serve.”