Saira Khowaja

Saira is a program development and integrated program delivery expert based in Karachi, Pakistan. Over the last 17 years, Saira has vast experience working with teams at IRD and with its partners in the piloting and scaling of an integrated disease primary care network, and communicable and non-communicable disease programs across the IRD network. She has led surveillance implementation and piloting of new diagnostic technologies and therapeutics for TB, COVID, and other diseases across the IRD network countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, and South Africa).

Saira led the launch of Well Check a global initiative of IRD Global that aims to cater to the individual’s physical, mental, and emotional health needs across organizations, educational institutions, health facilities, and communities.

Saira has worked closely with multiple national stakeholders to help develop the USD 173 million budget for the Global Fund Round 9 application for scaling up MDR-TB control in Pakistan. She has previously been a core group member of the Global Drug Resistance TB Initiative under the STOP TB partnership. She was a private sector participant from Pakistan in Leadership for Universal Health Coverage (L4UHC) course – Asia Cycle.

Saira has an MSc in Social Development and Planning from the Columbia University School of Social Work and a dual degree BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Rochester.