Nepal has decided to put forward Dr. Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra for the post of Regional Director of the World Health Organization's South-East Asia Regional Office. Senior Health Ministry officials say the government has already begun asking other members for support. WHO has not yet formally announced her as a candidate.
Mishra is an Additional Secretary at Nepal's Ministry of Health and Food Safety. She is a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology and holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. She is also a Fulbright fellow. She has served as Director General of the Department of Health Services and has led Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital. WHO has documented her work on tuberculosis, measles-rubella vaccination, neglected tropical diseases and pandemic preparedness.
The job became vacant when Saima Wazed of Bangladesh resigned on September 9,2026. Dr Nilesh Buddha has been Officer-in-charge since August 17. Wazed has denied allegations that had been investigated.
The regional director is not chosen in a public election. Member countries nominate candidates, and the WHO Regional Committee votes. The winner is then confirmed through the WHO Executive Board. Reports say official nominations are expected on October 12, 2026, with vetting in December and an election on January 24, 2027. Those dates should be checked against WHO's formal notice when it is published. This is Nepal's second try in a row. In 2023, Nepal's candidate, Dr Shambhu Prasad Acharya, received two votes. Wazed received eight. That result led to criticism in Nepal about how much lobbying the country had done. This time, officials say lobbying started earlier. Nepali officials believe India's support could be very important, but India has not publicly backed Mishra.
Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka are reported to be preparing candidates, but none has been confirmed.
Mishra's experience fits several of these areas. But the 2023 result showed that experience alone does not win votes. Nepal will need to build regional support before the vote.
