Hala Abou-Taleb is an advisor at the Eastern-Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) of the World Health Organization. She holds an MSc. in Public Health and Epidemiology and a Ph.D. in Community Medicine and Social Science from the Kasr Al Aini medical school and the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine. She works on issues related to the strengthening of health system governance to progressively achieve universal health care coverage (UHC). Her research also covers the promotion of the right to health and equity, public health law, health diplomacy and policy planning, and development.