Biography

Dr. Zia Ullah Khan Dawar is an internationally experienced public health leader with more than two decades of expertise in health systems strengthening, infectious disease control, and the leadership of large-scale public health programs. He currently serves as Project Director, Prime Minister's National Programme for the Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection, Pakistan, leading the country's flagship initiative to eliminate hepatitis C in line with the World Health Organization's elimination targets.

Dr. Dawar has held senior leadership positions in Pakistan's National MNCH, AIDS Control, and TB Control Programs. Internationally, he served for over seven years as a Senior Public Health Specialist with the Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and later as Global Coordinator/Chief of Party for a USAID-funded health project. He also served as a Roster Consultant with the Regional Green Light Committee (rGLC) and a Technical Assistance Consultant with UNOPS and the Stop TB Partnership, supporting countries through international review missions and technical assistance.

He holds an MBBS, a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Project Management, and an M.Sc. in Health Policy & Management from The Aga Khan University, Karachi, and has completed executive training at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Dawar received the "Captain of the COVID-19 Team" Award from the Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is included in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Honor List of the Government of Pakistan for distinguished public service. A sought-after speaker at international scientific forums, he advises governments and global health partners on disease elimination, health policy, and innovative strategies to strengthen health systems and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage.