WHO S-E Asia Director Poonam Khetrapal Singh awarded Bhutan's National Order of Merit Gold Medal

WHO Regional Director (South-East Asia) Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh has been awarded Bhutan's National Order of Merit Gold Medal for her distinguished services to the country.

The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk honoured Singh, an Indian national, at Bhutan's 116th National Day celebration.

''Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the first woman regional director of WHO South-East Asia region, played a pivotal role in supporting transformative healthcare leadership in Bhutan from 2014 to 2024,'' the king said.

''Her tenure witnessed remarkable strides, including Bhutan, becoming one of the first countries to eliminate measles and rubella ahead of schedule. She made significant contributions to help Bhutan excel in COVID-19 vaccination,'' he added.

The king said Singh's ''impactful strategies'' extended across communicable diseases, reproductive health, health systems, and social determinants, and ''had a lasting positive impact on Bhutan's public health services''.

In a video message after the ceremony, Singh expressed her gratitude for the award.

She said, ''As regional director for WHO South-East Asia for the last decade, it has been my vision to address priority health issues through eight flagship programmes and promote health and wellbeing for everyone, everywhere.''

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)