Dr Asmus Hammerich, Director, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health
Vision
The Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health envisions the promotion of health and prevention of premature death and disability from noncommunicable diseases and mental health disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, addressing their risk factors and determinants and improving health care and rehabilitation services.
Mission
The Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Department provides leadership and the evidence base for regional and country level action in the Region on surveillance, prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases and mental health disorders.
Biography
Dr Asmus Hammerich has been leading the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo, Egypt, since November 2015. Dr Hammerich is a medical doctor and specialist in general practice/family medicine and international public health.
From September 2012 to October 2015 he served as WHO Representative to Uzbekistan. Prior to that he worked as Programme Management Officer (Health Systems) at the WHO country office in Lao People's Democratic Republic from 2008 to 2012.
From 1996 to 2007, Dr Hammerich was professionally involved in international public health and health systems strengthening efforts in Rwanda, Burkina Faso, India and Indonesia at provincial and district level as Team Leader of German (BMZ-GTZ/GIZ) and British (DFID) Government-supported bilateral projects and programmes.
After his medical graduation from the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, Germany in 1991 (including clinical internships in Vienna, Austria; Cape Town, South Africa; and Auckland, New Zealand) he worked in hospital medicine and primary care in Germany (Hamburg) and the United Kingdom (Oxfordshire, Berkshire and London) for over 5 years.
Dr Hammerich has completed postgraduate diploma/certificate courses in tropical medicine, public health and different areas of management at Heidelberg University (Germany), Oxford University (United Kingdom), the World Bank and Harvard University (United States).