Dr. Salah Al Awady (Oman)
Dr Salah Al Awaidy is a medical doctor and holds a Masters in Epidemiology. His Ex. position was Senior Consultant epidemiologist and Communicable Disease Adviser, Oman.
He was Director-General of Communicable Diseases Control (CDC) between 1997-2012.
In the national arena in the Ministry of Health, he played a pivotal role in reducing the national under-five mortality and morbidity, preparedness, management and control of infectious diseases such as SARS, avian influenza and pH1N1 and in establishing national communicable diseases, AEFI and rotavirus surveillance, as well as in the eradication of polio, elimination of measles, rubella, Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) and leprosy in Oman.
In addition, he played a fundamental role in reducing mortality and morbidity of vaccine-preventable diseases for paediatric, adolescent and adult populations in Oman.
Under his leadership, Oman achieved polio-free, measles-free, rubella-free, dranculosis-free and CRS-free status, neonatal tetanus elimination and control and near elimination of hepatitis B and other vaccine-preventable diseases like TB and schistosomiasis.
Oman received the first ever certification that the Central Vaccine Store fulfilled all the criteria expected of WHO/UNICEF in 2003 and 2004.
Dr. Al Awaidy has over 150 publications in prestigious journals, including Lancets and the New England Medical Journal. In June 2012. Dr. Al Awaidy was honoured by the CDC as the highest achieving person in Oman.
In the international arena, Dr. Al Awaidy has served on a number of important global advisory groups, namely the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for Polio Eradication in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Strategic Advisory Group on Immunization (SAGE), WHO Geneva. A member of the GAVI Independent Review Committee.
He currently serves on the IHR Emergency Committee for Polio. and the Global Task Team of Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Response at WHO headquarters.
