Dr Soumya Swaminathan has been named as the World Health Organisation’s Chief Scientist in a new department. The WHO’s new division will focus on digital health and innovation in order to stay on par with latest scientific and digital advances in the realm of healthcare.

Formerly, Deputy Director General of Programs of the WHO, Swaminathan was the first Indian to have held this position. Dr Soumya’s post will be taken up by current Region Director from WHO Europe, Zsuzsanna Jakab. Dr Soumya, was one of three Deputy Director Generals (DDG) who assisted the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Her new role of Chief Scientist has been specifically created for her by the Director. She will be based out Geneva. “What will be announced today will be the result of your ideas. For the past 18 months, they (WHO officials) have been relentless in conducting a root-and-branch examination of what we do, why we do it, and how we can do it better”, said Director Ghebreyesus.

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“This newly created position of chief scientist will give me an opportunity to strengthen WHO's core normative work, promote research on public health priorities and strengthen health research capacity in countries including on ethics, and accelerate access to digital technologies to improve health”, siad a delighted Dr Soumya.

Born on 2 May 1959, Dr Soumya completed her MBBS from Armed Forces College and subsequently pursued an MD at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. She was born to MS Swaminathan, the ‘Father of the Green Revolution’ and Indian educationist, Mina Swaminathan. She has worked extensively on tuberculosis and HIV related research and awareness programs.