Leadership Team

Dr. Md. Mahfuzur Rahman serves as Chief of Staff at IRD Global, where he supports the Executive Director’s Office in advancing organizational strategy, strengthening governance, and coordinating executive priorities across the organization’s global network. Dr. Rahman brings over a decade of experience in public health, with expertise in program strategy, operational research, and policy engagement. His work has focused on disease prevention and care through a holistic health approach, including health systems strengthening and the integration of digital and community-based solutions to improve access and quality of care in low- and middle-income settings. He holds an MBBS from Sir Salimullah Medical College and a Master of Public Health from American International University–Bangladesh.

Maria Baig is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Research Coordinator at Interactive Research and Development (IRD), Pakistan, with over five years of experience in mental health research, implementation, and service delivery. Her expertise spans mental health integration into public health systems, psychosocial interventions, and participatory research approaches. At IRD, she has led and coordinated multiple projects, including the support groups for caregivers of people with psychosis, Youth Resilience Program, and maternal mental health integration. Maria has also contributed to international collaborations under the PIECEs project and the Koyakhanya ECD program in South Africa. She holds an MSc in Psychology and a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Psychology. Her professional interests center on community-led and evidence-based mental health solutions that improve access and equity for underserved populations.

Dr. Ammar Ali Muhammad currently serves as Team Lead – Data Analytics at IRD, where he oversees multidisciplinary analytical teams supporting large-scale maternal, newborn, and child health and mental health initiatives. His work centers on advanced epidemiological methods, big data analytics, and impact evaluation of public health interventions, including immunization incentive programs and congenital anomaly surveillance among neonates. He has extensive experience managing and analyzing population-level datasets exceeding 13 million records in provincial immunization registry, developing statistical analysis plans, conducting regression and survival modelling, and contributing to high quality peer reviewed scientific publications.Prior to his current role, he worked across global surgery and maternal health programs, leading monitoring and evaluation components and supporting peer-reviewed research publications. Dr. Ammar holds an MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from The Aga Khan University and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Dow University of Health Sciences, combining clinical insight with strong quantitative expertise.

Nokhanyo Xaba is the Mental Health Lead at Interactive Research and Development (IRD) South Africa and a doctoral candidate in Human Sciences. She is a population scientist, mental health advocate, and Public Health and Mental Health Systems implementation leader advancing equitable access to care through scalable, data-driven community-based models. With over six years of experience in community health programmes in South Africa, her work spans implementation science, integrated care, and multi-province & district programme leadership. She has contributed to TB adherence and COVID-19 and psychosocial support innovations, resulting in peer-reviewed publications. She currently leads the integration of mental health into Early Childhood Development. Nokhanyo is passionate about building inclusive, evidence-based health systems and translating research into meaningful community-level impact.

Lape Onalaja is a Senior Coordinator focusing on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning.She has worked across South Africa and Nigeria with experience spanning data systems strengthening, MEL systems design, compliance and programme management in complex environments. She holds a Master’s in Global Health & Development from Queen Mary University of London and is committed to driving sustainable, evidence-informed development across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sara Khan is a Program Manager at IRD Global. She brings over a decade of experience in program design, implementation, and management across large-scale public health and organizational development initiatives. At IRD, Sara has managed complex, multi-component programs, including a major organizational development grant focused on governance, systems strengthening, and strategic planning. She has also led provincial implementation of Pakistan’s school-based deworming program in partnership with government stakeholders, overseeing planning, execution, and monitoring across diverse contexts. Her work emphasizes data-driven decision-making, operational efficiency, and cross-sector collaboration. Sara holds an MPhil in Education, Globalisation and International Development from the University of Cambridge and a BA in Economics (Finance specialization) from the University of Waterloo. She is passionate about strengthening health systems and delivering scalable, evidence-based solutions for underserved communities.

Dr. Jobaer Faruque serves as Deputy Program Manager and Sub-Investigator at Interactive Research and Development (IRD) Bangladesh, where he leads the implementation and coordination of a multi-country tuberculosis vaccine trial. With over 10 years of experience in public health, he has worked extensively in TB control, family planning, mHealth immunization, cold chain monitoring, and COVID-19 response. He has also contributed to public health interventions in urban slum settings, including early detection initiatives for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and childhood hearing impairment. He has a strong background in project management, clinical research, and data-driven decision-making, with proven expertise in donor-funded programmes (USAID, UNITAID, and WHO) and regulatory compliance. His work focuses on improving health system performance and expanding access to essential health services in Bangladesh.Dr Faruque holds multiple postgraduate degrees, including an MPH in Epidemiology, an MSc in Applied Statistics and Data Science, an MSc in Nutrition, and a Master of Disaster Management, along with a BDS degree.

Mehek Ali leads social behaviour change initiatives; her expertise lies at the intersection of psychology, education, and participatory frameworks. She holds Bachelor’s (Honours, 2012) and Master’s (Distinction, 2015) degrees from Queen’s University and the University of Birmingham, respectively. She has worked in programs focused on child and adolescent wellbeing, women’s empowerment, community inclusion, training and learning, infectious diseases, mental health, and systems strengthening. She has been the principal investigator on several projects, including the destigmatization of HIV, COVID-19 vaccine confidence, and integrated early childhood development. She also leads the arts and community engagement work across multiple programs, such as for people living with TB, psychosis, and others. She ensures research is communicated back to the communities it is meant to serve, taking a science communication and co-creative approach to dissemination. Presently, Mehek serves as the Associate Director, Community Engagement, at IRD Global.

Dr. Lubna Samad is a paediatric surgeon based in Karachi, Pakistan, with a focus on global surgery research, program implementation and advocacy. She led the development of Pakistan’s national surgical plan – “National Vision for Surgical Care 2020-25” – in collaboration with Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, aimed at incorporating surgical care delivery within the country’s health plan. She has worked extensively on developing programs for common surgical conditions in newborn and children, with an emphasis on evidence-driven “last mile” health delivery. She is the Director of Global Surgery Programs at IRD Global.

Syed Zaid bin Rashid is the Country Director at IRD Pakistan, where he specializes in strategic stakeholder engagement, donor relations, and high-stakes program execution. A leader at the intersection of social impact and operational scaling, Zaid has a proven track record of navigating complex institutional landscapes to drive systemic change.

His career is defined by a unique duality of experience; he has held leadership roles at The Aman Foundation and began his journey in social impact with the Engro Foundation. This mission-driven foundation is complemented by his executive tenure in the private sector with Zip24 and Vava Cars, bringing a lean, results-oriented commercial lens to the development space. An Acumen Pakistan Fellow, Zaid’s commitment to governance is reflected in his service as a former Board Member for Aahung, AmanTech, and AmanHealth. He holds an MBA Executive from IBA Karachi and a BSc (Hons) in Economics from LUMS.

Dr. Tapash Roy is a global health expert with over 28 years of experience in public health research, program management, and implementation across developing and developed settings. Since 2017, he has served as Country Director for IRD Global in Bangladesh, providing strategic leadership and overseeing a diverse country portfolio. His expertise spans epidemiology and implementation research, including clinical trials, disease surveillance, program evaluation, and health systems strengthening across areas such as maternal and child health, infectious diseases, NCDs, and digital health. He has previously held research roles at the University of Nottingham and the Open University (UK) and worked extensively with leading NGOs in Bangladesh. Dr. Roy is a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery and serves on several national technical committees in Bangladesh. He holds a PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology from the University of Nottingham.

Uzma Khan is a physician, a public health implementer, researcher, an advocate for TB and for the implementation of integrated, equitable health practices. Uzma has extensive experience in the evaluation of TB programs; in overseeing, implementing and conducting MDR-TB research; and has provided TB technical assistance to countries in South & Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. She represents IRD as a part of the endTB leadership and is currently a Central Co-I for the endTB clinical trials (www.endTB.org). She previously served as Co-PI of the endTB observational study. Uzma has provided technical oversight for access to and scale up of hepatitis C services in Pakistan. She is also a member of the regional Green Light Committee (rGLC) for the WHO EMRO region. Uzma holds a medical degree, as well as a Masters in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. Her interests include implementation science, health equity, advocacy and policy.

Dr. Naila Baig-Ansari, PhD (Epidemiology), is a senior epidemiologist with over two decades of experience in research leadership, ethical oversight, and data governance. She currently serves as Consultant and Director of the IRD Institutional Review Board, providing strategic oversight of research quality, protocol compliance, and data integrity across health programs. Dr. Baig-Ansari has led the establishment of accredited Institutional Review Boards, transitioned large-scale research data systems to REDCap, supervised clinical and population-based research initiatives, and provided technical leadership in study design, monitoring and evaluation, and regulatory compliance. Her expertise ensures rigorous methodological standards, ethical compliance, and high-quality data management aligned with international best practices and donor requirements

Qadeer Baig is a development management professional with more than 30 years of experience in governance, public policy, youth engagement, and gender equality in Pakistan and internationally. He has worked extensively with governments, donors, INGOs, NGOs, and media to strengthen development systems and improve program management. At IRD Global, he led the Gender Access Program (Kiran Sitara Program), empowering adolescent girls to promote healthy communities. He also served as Program Director and Senior Program Advisor for the Pakistan Deworming Initiative, supporting annual treatment of approximately 17 million children in 47 high-risk districts. Under his leadership, more than 55 million deworming treatments were delivered through government-led systems. Previously, as Country Representative of Rutgers and Chair of the Pakistan SRHR Alliance, he led national advocacy to address child, early, and forced marriage. Qadeer has contributed to global expert groups convened by UNFPA, UNESCO, and World Health Organization (WHO) on sexuality education. He has also served on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Roster of Experts and supported institutional strengthening of government–NGO partnerships. As a consultant and team lead, he has conducted evaluations and capacity-building assignments across South Asia, East Africa, Central Asia, and Afghanistan. He represented the Government of Pakistan as an official delegate to the United Nations Commission on Population and Development from 2011 to 2016. Qadeer holds an MSc in Management of NGOs from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He also holds master’s degrees in Statistics and Economics from Pakistan.

Atif Siddique, a Chartered Accountant with international finance and audit experience, is the CFO of IRD Global, overseeing finance for IRD and affiliates. He has previously served as regional Finance Director for Eli Lilly.

Morné Du Toit has over 30 years of experience, of which 15 years have been in executive roles, in both the public and private sectors. He has worked in senior executive roles in South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Namibia and has a proven track record of successful strategic and operational leadership

Dr. Aamir Khan is a medical epidemiologist, social entrepreneur, and the Founder and Executive Director of IRD Global. He trained in medicine at the Aga Khan University and earned his Ph.D. in International Health from Johns Hopkins University. Before establishing IRD, he served as a Research Associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and later as a Lecturer in Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Khan founded IRD in 2004 in Karachi, which has since grown into IRD Global, an international nonprofit headquartered in Singapore with affiliates across Asia and Africa.

Mark Radford has over 30 years of global leadership experience in biotechnology, medical research, and global health. He has built medtech start-ups, led major organizational transformations, and advised governments and international institutions across Africa and the MENA region. Formerly Director of the UK Medical Research Council’s Gambia Unit, he has led impactful projects for BMGF, the Global Fund, World Bank, Wellcome Trust, and others. Mark serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Audit Committee of the €2 billion EDCTP Europe-Africa health research partnership, and mentors emerging health innovators.

Robert Appelbaum is a Partner at Webber Wentzel with over 35 years in the health sector, advising multinational companies on expansion across Africa and Southeast Asia. He has led major healthcare mergers, acquisitions, and regulatory matters, and represents South Africa’s Department of Health on vaccine procurement. He supported the national COVID-19 response, including the development of 20,000 CPAP ventilators. Robert serves on boards such as the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and Access to Advanced Health Institute, and is recognized by Chambers Global, Legal 500, and Best Lawyers.

Dr. Rahbel Rahman-Tahir is an Associate Professor at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service, specializing in global health, maternal mental health, and interprofessional collaboration. Her research explores organizational, structural, and provider-level factors affecting community-based service delivery in Pakistan, Brazil, and the U.S. A Licensed Master Social Worker in New York, she uses Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to elevate marginalized voices and advance health equity. Her work focuses on integrating mental health, maternal health, and disease prevention into community systems to improve global healthcare delivery.

Dr. Sadia Afroze Chowdhury is a distinguished global public health leader with over 40 years of experience advancing maternal, newborn, child, and reproductive health across Asia and Africa. She has held senior leadership positions at the World Bank, BRAC, and BRAC University, leading large-scale health systems, policy, and program initiatives that have improved access to quality healthcare for millions.As an independent consultant and trusted advisor to global organizations, governments, and development partners, Sadia brings deep expertise in health systems strengthening, strategic partnerships, and evidence-based policy. She serves on the Board of Directors of IRD Global, where she contributes her extensive experience in advancing equitable and sustainable health outcomes for vulnerable communities worldwide.