ISLAMABAD: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has, appointed Dr Sania Nishtar as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr Sania, trained medical doctor, is currently serving as a Senator in Pakistan, and will assume the role on March 18, 2024.
Dr Nishtar has built an outstanding career over thirty years as a global public health leader. During her tenure in the national government from 2018 to 2022, Dr. Nishtar held the position of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, a role equivalent to that of a federal minister. She also played a significant role within Gavi, serving as the Chair of Gavi’s Evaluation Advisory Committee from 2011 to 2014 and as an independent member of Gavi’s Board in 2016.
Chair of the Gavi Board, Professor José Manuel Barroso, commended Dr. Nishtar’s three decades of leadership at both national and global levels, highlighting her dedication to health equity, innovative thinking, and proven ability to address complex challenges.
Expressing enthusiasm about Dr. Nishtar’s appointment, Professor Barroso acknowledged the effective interim leadership of David Marlow as Gavi’s CEO and thanked him for steering the organization through important structural and cultural reforms.
In response to her appointment, Dr. Sania Nishtar expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her by the Gavi Board. She emphasized the critical role of life-saving vaccines in promoting health and acknowledged Gavi’s impactful contributions to global health over the past 23 years. Dr. Nishtar conveyed her honor in leading one of the most influential organizations in global health, effective as of March 18th.
