Professor Mahmudur Rahman
Professor Dr. Mahmudur Rahman, Ph.D
Served as Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research and National Influenza Center in Bangladesh for about twelve years. Devoted 33 years to epidemiologic and public health research and surveillance of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and public health policies. Retired from government service in June 2016. Currently, serving as Consultant in the Programme for Emerging Infections, Infectious Disease Division, icddr,b.
Played a key facilitator role in establishing the National Influenza Center, BSL 3 and Nipah laboratory, and web based disease surveillance in Bangladesh. Founded FETP/Master’s in Applied Epidemiology, Frontline FETP and Improving Public Health Management for Action (IMPACT) Courses at IEDCR with US CDC support. Led the 2009 H1N1 pandemic response in Bangladesh. At IEDCR and NIPSOM, chaired and served on a number of panels dealing with different issues of epidemiology, disease surveillance and public health policies, ranging from avian and pandemic influenza surveillance to health and population program planning.
Served as a member of the IHR (2005), and Pandemic Influenza Review Committee at WHO HQ in Geneva, Chair of Advisory Panel on PIP Framework to the Director General-WHO, member SEAR Certification Commission for Polio Eradication (SEARCCPE), member of the Emergency Committee on MERS-CoV and, Ebola Viral Disease member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Visceral Leishmaniasis of TDR, WHO, Executive Board Member of International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (Working Group) in WHO HQ, Expert Committee on Vaccine Strain Selection, Advisory Panel to WHO project on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine composition for the tropics. Also served as a member of the Expert Review Committee for Polio eradication in Bangladesh, National Verification Committee of Measles Elimination and Rubella/Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control/Elimination in Bangladesh and the Managing Editor of the Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine.
Currently, serving as the Chair of South East Asia Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication (SEARCCPE), Member Global Commission for the Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis, Member of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication, Member of Advisory Panel on PIP Framework, Editorial Board member of the SEARO Journal, member of the Emergency Committee on events related to Poliomyelitis, taskforce member of the WHO’s Nipah virus research and development (R&D) roadmap process, Technical Advisory Group (TAG) member of Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases (APSED) and member of the Alliance for Influenza Preparedness Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) and Technical Expert Group (TEG). Enlisted in the IHR roster of Experts. Also serving as the Chair of the National Verification Committee (NVC) for Measles and Rubella/Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) Elimination, Vice Chair, Oversight Committee for Bangladesh Country Co-ordination mechanism (BCCM) and member BCCM for about 15 years.
Conducted a good number of research in the field of both Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases for the last 33 years. Served as Principal Investigator in phase three and phase four clinical trials. Led Measles Case Fatality Study, Hepatitis B Vaccine Efficacy Study, HIV Sero-prevalence Studies and Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey in Bangladesh. Authored 141 research publications and studies including 102 publications in peer reviewed journals.
Editor of “Text Book of Community Medicine and Public Health”, and authored 130 publications in international and national peer-reviewed journals. Earned Masters in Primary Health Care Management from Mahidol University, Thailand and Ph.D in Epidemiology from University of Cambridge, UK.
