Dr. Qasem Buhaibeh has been nominated as Minister of Public Health and Population in the Yemeni government since December 2020. He was able to lead the resilience of the health sector in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Yemen, which was wracked by nine years of war and economic collapse, through his leadership skills, rehabilitation, and changes in the health system, good communication with donors and health work partners. He also was elected as Vice-President of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization on May 2022, and he was also elected on Oct. 2022 as a member of the Standing Committee of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response at WHO. The Minister was born in Marib in 1973; he is a physician who graduated from Sana’a University, where he obtained his MBBCh in 1998, and obtained an MS and MD degrees in ENT surgery from Suez Canal University in Egypt. Dr. Buhaibeh started his Professional work as a general GP in General Hospital in Marib Governorate from 1998 - 2002. Then he worked as an ENT specialist in otolaryngology and otolaryngology at Suez Canal University Hospital from 2005 - 2010 in Egypt. He returned to Yemen in 2010 to support the provision of specialized health services as a consultant in ear, nose, and throat diseases in Sana'a - Yemen. He has worked extensively in Saudi Arabia and Qatar as Senior Consultant ENT in several hospitals. Throughout his working life – he went from GP to Senior Consultant to the Minister of Health. He also contributes to scientific research and has published several research studies. Dr. Buhaibeh is working on a comprehensive reform of the health system in Yemen, built on the basis of universal health coverage and the provision of services to all people. He has advocated for the rights of others, community service and established local NGO and Social associations. The minister also has active social and political contributions in his Governorate (Marib), and at country level especially with Youth and Women forces.
