Dr Zhao Li
Technical Officer, World Health Organization
Dr Zhao Li is the Technical Officer and Regional Focal Point for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO), within the Division of Health Systems and Services (DHS), leading regional initiatives on IPC and healthcare-associated infection (HAI) surveillance across 38 Member States and Areas. With over 15 years of combined clinical and public health experience in IPC, maternal and child health, data and surveillance, she has demonstrated expertise in translating evidence into practice through implementation science and health systems strengthening tailored to country contexts and needs. She leads the development and implementation of the Regional Action Plan for IPC in the Western Pacific Region (2025-2030), aligned with the WHO Global IPC Strategy (2024–2030), supporting countries through policy development, regional capacity building, data-informed decision-making, and technical partnerships with Ministries of Health, academic institutions, and WHO Collaborating Centres.
She holds a medical degree and has undertaken professional training in IPC through IPAC Canada and Queen’s University. She also holds the Associate – Infection Prevention and Control (a-IPC™) credential from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC). She is currently a DrPH Candidate in Implementation Science at Johns Hopkins University, with doctoral research focused on the implementation and improvement of HAI surveillance systems in low- and middle-income countries.