When Dr Hamid Jafari began his career in global public health, polio was paralysing 350,000 children every year across 125 countries. Today, as he retires as Director of Polio Eradication and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO), the virus remains endemic in only two countries. His career has been deeply intertwined with that transformation. 

A paediatrician by training, Dr Jafari joined the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in its early years, working first with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) before moving to WHO. His assignments took him from Atlanta to New Delhi, where he directed the National Polio Surveillance Project between 2007 and 2012. Under his leadership, India achieved one of public health’s most remarkable achievements, interrupting wild poliovirus transmission and setting the stage for the country’s certification as polio-free in 2014. Meanwhile, Dr Jafari worked at the WHO HQ from 2012 until 2016, before returning to CDC as Principal Deputy Director for Global Health until 2019. 

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization said: “Dr Hamid Jafari’s career represents the very best of public service. His work has helped bring the world to the threshold of polio eradication, saving generations of children from paralysis. ” 

Praising Hamid’s leadership, Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean said: “Dr Jafari’s commitment and leadership have been truly commendable. Across the Region, he has guided teams through complex challenges with dedication and empathy. His ability to build trust with governments and partners has been key to sustaining progress toward eradication in some of the most difficult and hard-to-reach geographies.”

As Director of Polio Eradication and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region over the last six years, Dr Jafari oversaw efforts in the last two endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, while responding to outbreaks elsewhere in the Region, often navigating access restrictions, insecurity and misinformation. He championed approaches that linked polio campaigns to broader primary-health services, including partnerships with humanitarian actors to deliver essential health interventions. 

Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF said: “UNICEF has long valued Hamid’s belief that polio eradication begins and ends with communities,”. “He championed approaches that placed trust and local ownership at the heart of every campaign, reaching children wherever they live, even in the most difficult circumstances.”

Colleagues describe him as calm under pressure and relentlessly data-driven and a leader who believed in listening as much as leading. His mentorship shaped a generation of epidemiologists and health officers around the world.

Dr Chris Elias, President, Global Development at the Gates Foundation and Chair of the GPEI’s Polio Oversight Board said: “ I have long admired Hamid’s focus and sense of purpose. He understands that ending polio is not only about eradicating a disease but also about building stronger systems to protect every child. His leadership has left a lasting impact on the program and on all of us who have had the privilege to work with him.” 

Dr Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance said: “Hamid’s impact goes far beyond polio. He has been a powerful advocate for using eradication infrastructure to support routine immunisation and health system resilience.” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “His leadership reminds us that when we invest in reaching every child with vaccines, we build stronger, more equitable health systems for all. 

Mike McGovern, Chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee said: “Hamid has been a steadfast partner to Rotary and to communities across Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. His knowledge of the Region is deep-rooted and his unwavering belief in partnership embody the spirit that has kept the polio programme moving forward.” 

While the Eastern Mediterranean Region continues its push to stop all remaining poliovirus transmission, Dr Jafari’s influence endures in the systems, relationships and determination he helped build on country and regional levels. His departure marks not an ending but a hand-off and a reminder that finishing the job will require the same humility, commitment and partnership support that defined his career.

As he often quoted Nelson Mandela to his colleagues: “It always seems impossible until it is done,  and it will be done.” 

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative extends its best wishes to Dr Hamid Jafari as he begins a new chapter and remains committed to proving him right.