N. Sultana Afdhal is the former Chief Executive Officer of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). An initiative of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development – WISH’s vision is to bring about a healthier world through global collaboration and serves as a platform for health leaders and innovators from around the world.
Having recently taken on an Advisory role within Qatar Foundation, Sultana continues to champion the rights of women and children through a support group she set up to help navigate the rights of women suffering from spousal abuse, ensuring they are informed of their rights and have access to pro bono lawyers.
In 2019, Sultana was made an honorary nurse and awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international accolade a nurse can achieve, in recognition for her work in championing the work of nurses and midwives around the world. Sultana sits on the Boards of both the World Health Organization’s State of the World Nursing Committee, and the State of the World Midwifery Report. Sultana was recently appointed as Board Member of the Renard Academy, a school that provides specialized services for children with autism. She also sits on the Editorial Board of the BMJ Innovation Journal, Terasaki Institute as well as the Carter Center’s Journalism Fellowship Advisory Board.
Within Qatar, Sultana has put significant effort into the creation and implementation of
innovative health programs and pilot studies, most recently on the concept of protecting health
in dry cities, in recognition of Qatar’s desert climate, and the introduction of screening programs
for children to measure the impact of COVID-19 and toxic stress related conditions. She has also
been instrumental in developing and championing learning programs for children with autism
and special needs.
Successfully overseeing four WISH global summits, Sultana has been instrumental in creating
fruitful new partnerships with a diverse range of government and non-governmental
organizations that have an interest in the health and wellbeing of societies.
Away from the office, Sultana has a master’s degree in English Literature from Oxford and is a
published author. Combining her passion for literacy and global health, she dedicated the
proceeds of her first book to the charity Fight for Sight.