Delegates

Dr Abu Hussain Md. Moinul Ahsan is a senior public health physician and health administrator with more than 20 years of experience in Bangladesh’s government health system. He currently serves as Director (Hospital) at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), where he leads hospital administration, policy implementation and service delivery improvement.

Since joining the 20th Bangladesh Civil Service (Health) cadre in 2001, Dr Ahsan has held key clinical and administrative positions, including Civil Surgeon, Deputy Director at DGHS and Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer. An MBBS graduate of Rangpur Medical College and a registered physician with the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, he combines clinical expertise with extensive experience in hospital management and public health. He has completed advanced leadership, management and training-of-trainers programmes and remains actively engaged in evidence-based health policy and service improvement.

Professor Dr Md. Ruhul Amin is a distinguished paediatric surgeon, academic leader and medical educator in Bangladesh, with more than three decades of experience in clinical practice, surgical training, research and healthcare leadership. He graduated from Mymensingh Medical College and subsequently obtained the MCPS, MS (Paediatric Surgery) and FCPS qualifications. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCS).

Professor Amin has held several senior academic and administrative positions, including Professor of Paediatric Surgery at Bangladesh Medical University, Chairman of the Department of Paediatric Surgery, Dean of the Faculty of Surgery and Vice-Chancellor of Khulna Medical University. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications, supervised many postgraduate theses and played a pivotal role in developing paediatric surgical education and specialist training in Bangladesh. His contributions have helped advance paediatric surgery, academic leadership and surgical research nationally and internationally.

Pema Lethro is a public health professional currently serving as National Professional Officer for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) Bhutan. With more than 15 years of experience in the health sector, he has spent over a decade planning and managing public health programmes at the Ministry of Health in Bhutan and more than five years as a Technical Officer and Project Manager at the WHO Country Office.

His expertise encompasses NCD prevention and control, mental health strategy, and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. Mr Lethro holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Western Australia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Royal Institute of Management. He has received several honours, including His Majesty the King’s Heart Son Medal (Thuksey) for his coordination of COVID-19 emergency response services and the Global Tobacco Control Leadership Award. He is also a founding member of the Regional Catalyst Group for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the South-East Asian Region and has published research in peer-reviewed journals on topics including neonatal mortality and health system challenges.

Dr G Jerard Maria Selvam is Additional Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Projects) at the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Government of Tamil Nadu. A public health expert and administrator, he has extensive experience in health systems strengthening, disease prevention and public health programme management, and has played a pivotal role in planning, implementing and monitoring major state and national health initiatives.

He earned his medical degree in Community Medicine from Madras Medical College, Chennai, and completed the Principles of Epidemiology course offered by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the Public Health Field Leader Fellowship jointly conducted by the Public Health Management Initiative, Hyderabad, and the CDC. He has contributed to pioneering efforts in Tamil Nadu addressing hypertension, diabetes and common cancers, and has served as State Nodal Officer for NCD intervention programmes. Earlier, he worked as a WHO-RNTCP consultant for Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and later as Professor of Epidemiology at Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University.

Over the past decade, Dr Jerard Selvam has contributed to National Health Mission-TN initiatives focused on disease prevention and control, NCD surveillance and management, organised cancer screening and health system reform. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a key role in statewide surveillance, seroprevalence studies, risk communication and vaccination strategies. His professional interests include NCDs, tuberculosis and its comorbidities, epidemiology, health policy, digital health, palliative and elderly care, technology-enabled healthcare delivery, mental health, One Health, operational research and health policy research. He has collaborated extensively with national and international academic institutions and has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on NCDs, COVID-19 epidemiology and health systems strengthening.

Dr Hotlin Ompusunggu is a licensed dentist and conservation-health leader based in Indonesia, with more than 15 years of experience working at the intersection of human health, forest conservation and social equity. She currently leads programmes with Healthy Planet Indonesia in Sumatra that integrate accessible healthcare, sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.

Her work focuses on low-income and forest-edge communities whose health and wellbeing are closely tied to the condition of nearby forests. By addressing barriers to care alongside the social and environmental drivers of health, she develops community-based models that improve health outcomes while protecting forests and natural resources. Her work has been featured on BBC Earth’s Asia series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and on BBC Radio 4’s Costing the Earth. She is a Whitley Gold Award winner and a National Geographic Explorer. Dr Hotlin is passionate about building partnerships across health, conservation and faith-based networks to scale practical, sustainable solutions for people and the planet.

Dr Iva Kusdyarini is a medical doctor and public health leader with more than 20 years of experience in clinical practice, healthcare administration and public health management. She currently serves as Head of the Section for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the Yogyakarta City Health Office, where she leads strategic programmes and policies to improve community health outcomes.

A graduate of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) with a Professional Medical Degree, Dr Kusdyarini has held a range of leadership roles within Indonesia’s public health system, including Head of Public Health Centres in Yogyakarta and Kebumen. Her expertise spans healthcare management, disease prevention, mental health advocacy, health insurance administration and community health planning. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to strengthening public health services and improving the wellbeing of the communities she serves.

Bhavna Vishwakarma is Trade Manager for Healthcare and Life Sciences at the UK Department for Business and Trade, based in Kuala Lumpur. She leads efforts to support UK healthcare and life sciences companies expanding into Malaysia, working closely with government, regulators and industry stakeholders to facilitate market access, promote UK innovation and build strategic partnerships.

Her work focuses on digital health, medical technologies, pharmaceuticals and healthcare services, with an emphasis on translating policy engagement into tangible commercial outcomes. She has supported UK-Malaysia collaborations across hospitals, academia and industry and plays an active role in advancing dialogue on regulatory reform, innovation adoption and healthcare system development.

Dr Eliana binti Ahmad is a Public Health Medicine Specialist with the Ministry of Health Malaysia, where she leads the National Cancer Control Programmes. She holds a Doctorate in Public Health from the University of Malaya, and her work focuses on cancer prevention and control and the epidemiological surveillance of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Dr Eliana has played a key role in developing and implementing national strategies to reduce the burden of NCDs, particularly cancer, including strengthening cancer policies, screening programmes and cancer surveillance systems. She also leads the Lung Health Initiative Malaysia and contributed to the development of the Lung Health Resolution, a World Health Organization resolution spearheaded by Malaysia to improve lung health through integrated approaches to prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and management. Her work continues to support evidence-based public health policy, research and programme development in Malaysia.

Heng Kiah Chun is Malaysia Campaign Lead with Greenpeace Southeast Asia, where he works on environmental health, pollution and climate justice across the region. His work focuses on translating scientific evidence into policy advocacy and public engagement, including campaigns addressing air pollution, transboundary haze and imported plastic waste.

He collaborates with researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and civil society organisations to advance evidence-based environmental policies and support affected communities. His current interests include the health impacts of air pollution, environmental governance and promoting sustainable and equitable solutions to environmental challenges in Malaysia.

Dr Ho Bee Kiau is a Senior Consultant Family Medicine Specialist at Seksyen 7 Shah Alam Health Clinic, Selangor, Malaysia. She has worked in the Klang Health District for 25 years and has served as Family Medicine Specialist and Klang District Head for about a decade. She graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Malaya in 1993, obtained a Master of Family Medicine in 2000 and subsequently completed a Fellowship in Community Geriatrics at Monash University, Australia.

She is the National and State Family Medicine Specialist for the Primary Care Geriatric Programme, a National Asthma Right Care Trainer, and a State Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Trainer. She also supervises undergraduate and postgraduate Family Medicine trainees and National Specialist Registry credentialing. Her clinical and research interests include community geriatrics, asthma, COPD, vaccine-preventable diseases, influenza, COVID-19, infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship, smoking cessation, HIV, tuberculosis, dengue and non-communicable diseases. She is a site Principal Investigator and co-investigator for several national and international studies, including RESPIRE Malaysia and the Malaysia Primary Care Influenza Study, and has numerous peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations. She also serves on multiple Ministry of Health Malaysia Technical Working Groups, contributing to national guidelines and programmes.

Poorani Krishnan is a cross-sectoral science engagement expert and programme strategist, currently serving as Science, Technology and Innovation Advisor at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. She leads UK-Malaysia collaborations across climate, health and digital innovation, spearheading initiatives including the UK-Malaysia AI Conference and UK-Malaysia Roundtable on Antimicrobial Resistance with Members of Parliament Malaysia, and organising climate science forums with the UN IPCC.

Poorani brings a strong foundation in ecotoxicology, programme delivery and public engagement. She founded MyDemokrasi, a civic technology platform that advances political literacy through data, and advises on UK funding models such as the International Science Partnership Fund, helping align Malaysian research and development priorities with global opportunities to foster impactful, connected research.

Dr Razia Fatima is a public health specialist and epidemiologist with 24 years of experience in tuberculosis control programmes and TB management. She holds a PhD from the University of Bergen, Norway, and an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

She has authored more than 100 international peer-reviewed publications and currently serves as a Consultant Technical Adviser on TB strategies and Global Fund grant applications at UNOPS. She is also Chair of The Union’s Ethics Advisory Group. Razia was awarded The Union’s prestigious TB Medal in 2024 and was recognised by WHO TDR in 2024 as one of its top 10 women scientists and as a Research Champion from a low- and middle-income country.

Dr Prasanna Herath is Head of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka. He is an academic, researcher, Erasmus project manager, author and public health advocate with more than a decade of experience in nursing education, tobacco control, smoking cessation, healthcare innovation and capacity building.

Recognised as South Asia’s first PhD holder specialising in smoking addiction, biomarker assessment and smoking cessation, Dr Herath also serves as a committee member of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol. He is the author of A Practical Guide to Individual Smoking Cessation: For Healthcare Providers and Practitioners, an evidence-based textbook developed from nearly three years of doctoral research. He has published research on tobacco smoking, nicotine dependence, smoking cessation and the cardiorespiratory effects of smoking in international peer-reviewed journals. Through his work as a senior lecturer, head of department, researcher, author, Erasmus coordinator, international project manager and public health advocate, he promotes evidence-based healthcare, professional capacity building, preventive healthcare, academic innovation and international collaboration.

Dr Upuli Wijemanne is a Board-Certified Specialist in Medical Administration who currently serves as Director, Organisation Development, and Director, Policy Analysis and Development, at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. She has extensive experience in healthcare leadership, organisational development, quality improvement, patient safety, healthcare accreditation, clinical governance and health systems strengthening. She played a key role in establishing Sri Lanka’s National Healthcare Accreditation Council.

She holds an MD and MSc in Medical Administration from the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, an MBA from the Open University of Sri Lanka and an MBBS from the University of Bangalore, India. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, while serving as Director of a specialised maternity hospital in Colombo, Dr Wijemanne led initiatives to ensure continuity of safe maternity services, including establishing an emergency treatment unit and developing a 40-bed and 20-cot isolation ward through donations without additional government expenditure. She is also a trainer and resource person at the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo. Her professional interests include organisational development, healthcare quality, patient safety, accreditation, leadership and sustainable health system transformation.

Audrey Kon is Regional Director for Southeast Asia and Cross-Regional Projects at the University of Edinburgh, where she leads strategic initiatives to strengthen partnerships, enhance institutional engagement and expand educational opportunities across the region. Previously, she held a similar leadership position at Durham University in Singapore, managing key partnerships and stakeholder relationships across Southeast Asia.

Earlier in her career, Audrey spent nearly seven years at the University of Edinburgh, leading regional operations across Southeast Asia and Australasia and serving in an interim capacity overseeing India and South Asia. She also spent almost seven years as Regional Head for Southeast Asia at the University of Wolverhampton. Her wider experience includes transnational education, partnership development, government and industry engagement, alumni relations, study abroad programmes, international student recruitment, operations and business development. With more than two decades of experience in international higher education, she is recognised for her strategic leadership, partnership development expertise and cross-cultural engagement skills.

Professor Sir Aziz Sheikh OBE is Nuffield Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences, Head of the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford. He is also a Professorial Fellow at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, and an Honorary Consultant with the UK Health Security Agency and Public Health Scotland.

Previously, he was Chair of Primary Care Research and Development, Director of the Usher Institute and Dean of Data at the University of Edinburgh. He has held advisory roles with governments, intergovernmental bodies including the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the World Innovation Summit for Health, and leading scientific bodies including the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society. He was, with Harry Campbell, a Director of RESPIRE and now serves as Deputy Director under the leadership of Harry Campbell and Ee Ming Khoo. He has been awarded fellowships by 10 learned societies, most recently the US National Academy of Medicine. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2014 for services to medicine and healthcare and was knighted in 2022 for services to COVID-19 research and policy.

Heidi Surridge is a Senior Research Manager at NIHR Global Health Research, where she has a leadership role in community engagement and involvement, research inclusion and shared learning. With a background in nursing and applied health research and advanced degrees in the social sciences and sociological research, she has spent nearly two decades with NIHR advocating for the involvement of patients, carers and communities in health and care research.

Heidi led the development of the course 'An Introduction and Practical Guide to Community Engagement and Involvement in Global Health Research'. She is committed to fostering equitable, mutually beneficial partnerships among global stakeholders and ensuring that people and communities help shape research priorities and influence health policy and provision worldwide.

Sarah Puddicombe is Assistant Director, Research Programmes (Global Health and International), based at the National Institute for Health and Care Research Coordinating Centre (NIHRCC) in Southampton, UK. Since 2016, she has led the development of a suite of NIHR Global Health Research programme schemes funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA). The programmes support applied global health research and capacity strengthening through equitable partnerships and directly fund institutions in low- and middle-income countries as leads.

Sarah drives continuous learning and improvement across the portfolio, embedding equitable partnerships, research capacity strengthening, research inclusion, and community engagement and involvement. A particular focus is ensuring that research is co-produced with communities and designed to meet the needs of vulnerable and underserved groups, including women and children, so that it can inform policy and practice, improve health outcomes and have sustained impact. She also leads the development of international funder partnerships in shared priority areas using non-ODA funds. Sarah has a background in translational health research programmes in both academic and commercial settings, using in vitro models to identify treatments for chronic respiratory disease.