Sherin Varkey

Dr. Sherin Varkey is currently the Practice Manager for Health in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) region.

Dr. Varkey is an international development and public health leader with more than 25 years of experience in health sector leadership and health policy reforms in several countries in Africa and Asia.  

After training as a medical doctor in India, he specialized in areas of preventive medicine, health economics and healthcare management and has worked with government, civil society and international organizations.

He is currently serving as the Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition and Population for the World Bank in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) region. Under his leadership, the World Bank will build on its strong partnership, financing, operational and technical support to address the challenges faced by countries in enhancing their health and human capital outcomes. Prior to this assignment, Dr. Varkey served as the Lead Health Specialist with the World Bank based in Addis, Ethiopia. Previously, Dr. Varkey also served as the World Bank Program Leader for Human Development for Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan. 

Prior to his assignments in Ethiopia, he served as a Senior Health Specialist with the World Bank in Washington DC and supported countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region for COVID-19 response, health system strengthening and led the World Bank health operations and analytics in West Bank and Gaza and Yemen, while also effectively supporting operations in Lebanon and Iraq. 

Dr. Varkey has led emergency and development programmes at national and international levels in a variety of settings. Prior to joining the World Bank, Dr. Varkey served in various capacities with the United Nations (UNICEF) in India, Ethiopia, Timor-Leste, DPR Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. In Yemen, he led a large country operation delivering lifesaving services and cash transfers for the vulnerable children and families in Yemen.

Dr. Varkey has worked extensively in strengthening social service systems in FCV contexts. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and has contributed significant pieces of research in the areas of Health and Nutrition systems, health sector reforms and delivery science for Immunization, Maternal and Child health and Nutrition and Communicable Diseases. His current interests include understanding the impact of conflict on social service systems, redesigning health care systems and the influence of management practices on the performance of social services.