Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla
India
Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla established and leads, as Director a.i., the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre. The Centre advances the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025– 2034, adopted by all 194 Member States, through evidence, regulation, health systems integration and cross-sectoral partnerships, including on intellectual property and the protection of traditional knowledge and biodiversity.
She previously served as WHO Senior Strategic Adviser for the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage and for a life course approach to health in WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work. She led development of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (Every Woman Every Child) and directed the Secretary-General’s Independent Accountability Panel. Earlier, she was on the founding team of HINARI, a public-private partnership expanding equitable access to scientific publications globally. She supported strengthening institutions and civil society partnerships in post-conflict settings and managed a multisectoral, community-based rehabilitation programme across 100 villages.
She holds a PhD from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, an MSc from Cornell University, and a BSc from the Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore.