Driven by the desire to learn more about global health policy and health systems, Dr. Mohamed Zarroug, MPH ‘25, signed up for the United

Nations General Assembly’s Summit of the Future, an initiative that was held adjacent to the United Nations General Assembly meetings last September. At these meetings, he had the opportunity to learn from global leaders working on issues related to sustainable development, including the role of health policy in promoting a more equitable world.

Building on what he learned at the UN General Assembly, Zarroug attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of the World Bank Group in October. He credits this experience with expanding his perspective on how health, economics, and development are all interconnected, as well as the dynamic decision-making processes that facilitate health system reform.

Zarroug describes himself as an “aspiring global health leader,” which is why the opportunity to engage with other policymakers during the World Bank annual meeting and Summit of the Future was so eye-opening. “Participating in discussions on sustainable development, global health, and the future of multilateralism not only deepened my understanding of international policymaking processes but also reinforced my commitment to addressing systemic inequalities through a global health perspective,” said Zarroug.

Zarroug brought his own experiences to these meetings. He is trained as a doctor and has served in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS). He has also worked as an intern at the World Health Organization’s Office of the WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Sudan.