The handover was conducted on 8 June at the Foreign Ministry Office of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tehran, during a simple yet solemn ceremony.
Dr Hussain was reassigned as WHO Country Representative and Head of Mission to the Islamic Republic of Iran effective 1 April 2021. Prior to his assignment as the Iran Head of Mission, Dr Hussain was Chef de Cabinet at WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean from 1 July 2019 until 31 March 2021.
Before that, Dr Hussain worked as WHO Representative and Head of Mission Libya (September 2015 – July 2019) and Head of Mission Tunisia (May 2016 – February 2018). During this period, Dr Hussain took the responsibility of Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for a period of six months.
Prior to his Libya mission, Dr Hussain worked as WHO Representative and Head of Mission for Iraq between 2010 and 2015 during which he also covered Syria for some time. Among his other previous work assignments are Regional Adviser on Health Promotion and Violence, Injuries and Disabilities at the WHO Regional Office for Eastern Mediterranean since 2003.
Dr Hussain holds a doctorate degree in public health from Belford, United States, and a master’s degree in hospital and health services management from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom as well as a degree in medicine from University of Peshawar, Pakistan. Prior to joining WHO Regional Office, Dr Hussain held the positions of Child Health Project Officer at UNICEF Pakistan, WHO Child Health Technical Officer in Pakistan, and Health Coordinator at UNHCR Pakistan/Afghanistan, from 1997 to January 2003. His government assignments include Assistant Director of the Pakistan Expanded Program on Immunization, Assistant District Health Officer, Deputy Medical Superintendent at the Psychiatric Hospital, and National Programme Manager of the Lady Health Worker Programme for Primary Health Care and Family Planning from 1990 to 1997.
Dr Hussain has worked extensively in emergency settings, particularly focusing on post-emergency health system strengthening as well as health issues of refugees and migrants in the region and beyond. Dr Hussain served as Regional Ombudsperson during 2006-2010. Dr Hussain has led many UN leadership initiatives with the UN Staff College, World Bank and WHO and authored numerous publications in international journals.
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