Ahmed Atef Belal

Ahmed is a PhD Student in the Health Policy PhD program at McMaster University, working under the supervision of Dr. John Lavis. His research interests lie in the field of organizing public engagement in health policymaking and how to translate the theories of health policy analysis into actions that meet the public's needs.

Prior to joining the Health Policy PhD program, he worked as the assistant director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit in the Egyptian Ministry of Health, where he was the manager of a nationwide program for diabetes awareness and surveillance - a project that he’s so passionate about that he continues to follow up with even after officially leaving the ministry. During his time at the ministry, he was one of the team leaders formulating the Egyptian National Multisectoral Plan for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2017-2021.

He completed a master’s degree in public health from Memorial University of Newfoundland in June 2016, where his research focused on maternal and child health in war-affected areas and how to achieve more accurate statistics for these areas.

Ahmed is also a licensed physician in Egypt, where he worked for 6 years as a resident doctor in the departments of radiology and family medicine in Cairo. He was the president and one of the founders of the ‘Egyptian Medical Students’ Association’ NGO, whose vision was to empower young healthcare professionals to have an impact within their societies. During this time, he also volunteered in the field clinics during the Egyptian uprising in 2011.