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Technical Officer, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific

Dr Sophie Dennis is a senior public health specialist with extensive experience in infectious diseases and global health. She serves as a Technical Officer for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific. In this role, she coordinates capacity-building missions across the Region to support the implementation of national AMR action plans, working closely with government stakeholders, WHO Collaborating Centres, and Quadripartite partners. She has led national AMR outbreak response workshops in countries including Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Fiji, and the Philippines.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Dennis headed the Science and Research Pillar for WHO’s Western Pacific response, synthesising emerging evidence to inform policy and clinical guidance for Member States.

Dr Dennis is a UK-trained infectious disease physician, having practised within the UK’s National Health Service and completed an international fellowship at the National University Hospital in Singapore. She holds a Master of Science in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (UK). Passionate about health systems strengthening and regional collaboration, she continues to champion efforts in AMR policy, outbreak response, and global health security across the Asia-Pacific region.

Publications:

• Dennis, S., & Fisher, D. (2018) Climate Change and Infectious Diseases: The Next 50 Years. Annals Academy of Medicine; 47 (10) 401 – 404.
• Zimmerman, P-A., Basseal, J., Dennis, S. & Salmon, S. (2022) Hand Hygiene Practices in extreme resource limited situations: an integrative review of the literature. International Journal of Infection Control 18: 21586 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3396/ijic.v18.21586