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Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Electrical & Computer Engineering Department
College of Engineering
King Abdulaziz University
Profile: Dr Hussein Abdel-Razzak Al Gezairy was born in the holy city of Mecca in 1934. He graduated from Kasr-el-Eini Faculty of Medicine in Egypt in 1957 obtaining his medical degree, then a Diploma in Surgery in 1960. Subsequently, in 1965, he became Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) of England.
Upon his return to Saudi Arabia, he established, in 1969, the first Faculty of Medicine in King Saud University in Riyadh and became its founding Dean. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to health and medical education he was appointed as Minister of Health in Saudi Arabia in 1975 and held that position for seven years. Under his leadership, three other medical faculties were established, fulfilling the medical education needs of Saudi Arabia. As a Minster of Health, Dr. Gezairy led the expansion of national primary health care services through the establishment of a large number of PHC centers in addition to 35 hospitals.
At the international level, Dr Gezairy, participated in the establishment of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health, an important organ of Arab League Institutions. He was also one of the founders and the first President of the Supreme Council and Executive Board of the Arab Board for Medical Specializations that works for raising the standards of medical education and quality of health services.
In 1982, Dr Gezairy, was elected as the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In this position he has become the leading figure in the promotion of medical education with particular emphasis to Community Oriented Medical Education and leadership development for health. Other major new initiatives introduced under the stewardship of Dr Gezairy and successfully applied include the development of the Prototype Action-oriented School Health Curriculum; a series of booklets about Religion in Health Education and the notion of one Trained Birth Attendant per village or city quarter. During his tenure of office, Dr Gezairy has promoted and fostered close working relationship with international and national partners in health and the development sector, notably with UNICEF through regular meetings with the Regional Directors of UNICEF and heads of other regional and international agencies to advance the cause of health and development of the population in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Dr. Gezairy, has been a driving force behind disease control and elimination of major communicable diseases in the Region. These include the eradication of Dracunculiasis or Guinea worm (for which Pakistan has already been certified), leprosy elimination as well as Polio Eradication which is on the verge of global eradication.
Dr. Gezairy has been a strong advocate of sustainable development approaches being facilitated by Basic Development Needs, Healthy Cities and Healthy Villages initiatives. By alleviating poverty and promoting better quality of life, these initiatives provide a common and sufficiently attractive goal for inter-sectoral action and strong community partnerships. Under his leadership, WHO has also made major contributions for Environmental Health as well as enactment of legislation and quality control of pharmaceuticals and blood transfusion. He has also been in the forefront for anti smoking campaigns including Tobacco-Free Initiative well before the issue assumed a global significance. His commitment is reflected from the fact that the Regional Office’s building was the first among all WHO regions that was declared as smoke-free.
Dr Gezairy enjoys high esteem among his peers for his commitment and forceful advocacy for improving the health and well-being of the under privileged populations. His distinguished legacy and achievements is bound to effect the future directions of public health interventions inside and outside the Eastern Mediterranean Region. |
