Full Name: Professor Abdullah H. Baqui

Affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA

Current Position: Professor and Director

Place of Birth: Bangladesh

Home District: Gopalganj

Nationality: Bangladeshi

Profile:

Professor Abdullah H. Baqui is a Bangladeshi public health scientist who demonstrated the effectiveness of simple but effective strategies to reduce preventable newborn deaths. He is a Professor of Department of International Health and Director of International Center for Maternal and Newborn Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.

Baqui was born and grew up in Gopalganj district. He graduated from Dhaka Medical College in 1976, and completed his Masters studies in Public Health (MPH) and Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA in 1985 and in 1990 respectively.

Baqui’s current research is directed towards the improvement of neonatal, child, and maternal health in low-income countries by enhancing the understanding of the major causes of neonatal, child, and maternal morbidity and mortality by designing and testing cost-effective public health interventions against them, and by conducting evaluation and implementation research in support of large programs. He decided to focus his research efforts primarily on neonatal health because this is a much neglected area. Globally, about 3.0 million neonates die each year and there are at least an additional 2.6 million still births. About 60% of all deaths in the first year of life and about 44% of <5 deaths occur in the first 28 days of life. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for child survival could not be achieved by many countries because of continuing high neonatal mortality. He felt that as a physician and epidemiologist he was in a unique position to make contributions in this area because of his experience with conducting numerous large field trials in the broad area of child health. In addition, he could apply the lessons that he had learnt in health systems and policy work to neonatal and maternal health. Also, he is experience in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa would allow him to address this issue in those regions where the vast majority of the global neonatal and maternal deaths occur.

During the last sixteen years of his service with the IH department, he had successfully raised funds to develop large scale research projects and established partnerships and field sites. Currently he had active projects in Bangladesh and Tanzania. These studies are evaluating integrated packages and single interventions to improve newborn and maternal health. The design and scope of these studies are diverse ranging from cluster randomized trials to large scale program evaluations to technical assistance to influence programs and policies. 

Baqui’s other interests are related to the use of evidence in policy and programs, including the development of research capacity and strengthening of public health training and education. He assists national governments, WHO and other international entities with the development of policies intended to improve public health, particularly health of neonates, children, and mothers.

Honors and Awards:

• 2017: The Carl E. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award to honor as a visionary leader by the American Public Health Association (APHA)
• 2012: Dory Storms recognition award by CORE group for outstanding research on new-born and child health and for vision, concern, intelligence, commitment, and love for people in the developing world.
• 2012: Bangladesh Medical Association of North America (BMANA) recognition award for exceptional efforts resulting in more effective maternal and newborn health program that has improved the health of the poorest of the poor including mothers, children and infants in underserved communities throughout the world.
• 2008: Received the “first global health faculty grant” awarded by the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health
• 2008: The Lancet’s paper of the year 2008
• 1986-1986: The International Nutrition Foundation (INF) fellowship to continue graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University
• 1984-1986: United Nations University (UNU) fellowship to pursue graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

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