Joanna Glazewska has assumed her duties as Head of the WHO Country Office in Poland, succeeding Nino Berdzuli, who has been appointed WHO Representative in Serbia.
A graduate of the University of Warsaw with a degree in social communication and journalism, Glazewska is a senior public health leader with nearly 20 years of experience in health policy development, public health systems strengthening, evidence-informed decision-making, and intersectoral collaboration.
Caption: Joanna Glazewska, WHO Representative in Poland. Credit: WHO.
Prior to joining WHO, she held several senior positions within Poland's Ministry of Health, including as Director and Deputy Director of the Department of Public Health.
Between 2024 and 2026, Glazewska served as a consultant to the WHO Country Office in Poland, working closely with WHO/Europe, government institutions, United Nations partners and civil society organizations on national public health priorities as well as the health response to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. She led the implementation of Poland's Public Health Act of 2015 and coordinated the development of the National Health Programme, 2016–2025. Through her engagement with WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the European Union, she has actively contributed to international health cooperation.
Glazewska’s areas of technical expertise include public health policy, health systems strengthening, health equity and literacy, community-based health, mental health and psychosocial support, emergency preparedness, and crisis coordination.
Together with the Ministry of Health of Poland, the Country Office’s priorities – with Glazewska at the helm – will include advancing disease prevention and health promotion, strengthening health system resilience and preparedness, and ensuring equitable access to health services, particularly for vulnerable and underserved populations.