Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Prof. Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed congratulate Ms. Saima Wazed, Chairperson of Shuchona Foundation and Adviser to the Director General of WHO on Mental Health and Autism, and a member of the WHO’s Expert
Advisory Panel on Mental Health for her nomination by the Government of Bangladesh for the post of Regional Director of World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia Region (SEARO).
She received the special honorary doctorate degree for her contribution to autism from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) this year. Saima Wazed has made Bangladesh well-known all over the world by working on Autism, Mental Health and Climate changes issues.
She has been working on Autism for a long period of time. For her extraordinary contribution we recognize her with an honorary doctorate degree.
She was WHO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in the South-East Asia Region prior to which she was WHO’s regional champion for autism in South Asia. WHO also awarded her the ‘Excellence in Public Health Award’, noting that she had put autism on WHO’s map.
She organized the first South Asian Conference on Autism in Dhaka in 2011. Last year BSMMU syndicate agreed to invite Saima to be an Honorary Teacher of the Institute of Paediatric Neurodisorder and Autism (IPNA) in BSMMU. Prof. Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed wishes Ms. Saima Wazed grand success for her election.
Saima Wazed , also known as Putul is a Bangladeshi autism activist. She is the daughter of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. She had been drafted as a global autism advocate of the World Health Organization’s 25-member Expert Advisory Panel on mental health for 4 years in 2014.
Wazed was born to Sheikh Hasina, the present Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and M. A. Wazed Miah, a nuclear scientist. Her brother is Sajeeb Wazed Joy. She graduated from Barry University. She is a licensed school psychologist.
Wazed organized the first South Asian conference on Autism in 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is the chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopmental disorders.
She campaigned for “Comprehensive and Coordinated Efforts for the Management of Autism Spectrum Disorders” resolution at the World Health Assembly which adopted the resolution, Autism Speaks praised her for spearheading “a truly global push for support for this resolution”. She had been drafted as a global autism advocate of World Health Organization’s 25-member Expert Advisory Panel on mental health for 4 years in 2014.
In November, 2016, Wazed had been elected as chairperson of International Jury Board meeting of UNESCO for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
In 2016, Wazed has conferred World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Region Award for Excellence in Public Health. In 2017, she has been awarded the International Champion Award for her outstanding contribution to the field of autism. She received a distinguished alumni award from Barry University for her activism.
In April 2017, Wazed has been designated as WHO Champion for Autism” in South-East Asia. In July, 2017 she became the Goodwill Ambassador of the World Health Organization (WHO) for autism in South-East Asia Region.
Since 2022, Wazed has been a member of the Commission for Universal Health convened by Chatham House and co-chaired by Helen Clark and Jakaya Kikwete. Wazed was married to Khandakar Masrur Hossain Mitu, son of Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. The couple have 4 children.
