MBBS, Dip.NB., Ph.D.

Global Health and International Development Expert

International Organizations and Global Governance expert, Human rights and Equity

xChief of Primary Health Care and Health Systems, UNICEF

Dr. Balaji was till 2023, the Chief of Primary Health Care and Health Systems at UNICEF Headquarters. As Chief of PHC, he led jointly with WHO the PHC Accelerator in the SDG-3 Global Action Plan for Healthy lives and Well-being for All  Earlier from 2014 to 2017, he headed the Afghanistan Programmes for UNICEF and managed UNICEF supported programmes in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection and Social Policy. He has worked in Africa and Asia in the UN system for over three decades. He was the architect in developing the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in 1993 and also led the development of ChildInfo/DevInfo databases on social development for UNICEF and the UN system. Most recently he managed EQUIST (https://equist.info) the system to help develop health programs to address barriers and bottlenecks in health systems for achieving equitable results.