Dr Sheraz Ahmad Khan
Director and CEO, The Hegels | Director, The Hegel Institute
Associate Professor in Global Health, Health Services Academy, Islamabad
PhD (Edinburgh), MPH, MBBS, CHPE, FRSPH
Physician and health systems specialist working on health financing, social health protection and global health security. Over 15 years, he has combined research, government advisory work and international development to turn evidence into health system reform in Pakistan.
15+ yearsin health systems, policy and research
100+ millionpeople reached by social health protection programmes he helped establish and advise
USD 8.97 millionresearch portfolio across PI, Co-I, evaluation and consortium roles
25+ papersin peer-reviewed journals, plus policy reports and draft legislation
Overview
Profile
Research
Publications
Policy and advisory
Teaching and supervision
External activities
News and media
Contact
Overview
At a glance
Dr Sheraz Ahmad Khan is a physician and health systems specialist who works at the intersection of academia, government advisory and international development. His work focuses on health financing, social health protection, global health security and access to care, with a consistent aim: translating evidence into reform at population scale.
Areas of expertise
- Health systems innovation and population-scale service delivery reform
- Health financing, strategic purchasing and universal health coverage
- Global health security, diplomacy and pandemic preparedness
- Governance, public health law and regulatory frameworks
- Climate and health resilience, vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning
Key achievements
- Helped establish and institutionalise social health protection (Sehat Card) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, covering about 35 million people, and advised similar programmes in other provinces, together reaching more than 100 million people.
- Technical leadership on Asian Development Bank health and social protection programmes exceeding USD 600 million.
- Roles on international research grants with a combined value of about USD 8.97 million, as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, Evaluation Lead and consortium partner.
- Designed IHR (2005)-aligned governance frameworks and supported public health law reform, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Health Act, 2026.
- Developed outbreak Simulation Exercise (SimEx) systems to strengthen preparedness and coordination.
- Founded digital health and policy platforms: ICU Healthcare and The Hegels.
Find what you need
- Students and researchers: see Teaching and supervision and Research.
- Funders and collaborators: see Research and Policy and advisory.
- Government and development partners: see Policy and advisory.
- Media and the public: see News and media.
Profile
Biography
Dr Khan trained in medicine at Khyber Medical University and completed an MPH there before a PhD in Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, where his doctoral research examined the Sehat Sahulat Programme, Pakistan’s largest publicly financed health insurance scheme.
He has worked in clinical, administrative and research roles. As Deputy Director of the Social Health Protection Initiative in the Department of Health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he helped establish Sehat Card. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of York on the UKRI-funded Tobacco Control Policies and the Health of Adolescents in Pakistan (TAP) project, and he is the Evaluation Lead on the NIHR-funded SPiRiT-D trial.
He is Associate Professor in Global Health and founding lead of the Centre for Global Health at the Health Services Academy, Islamabad, where he designed Pakistan’s first postgraduate programmes in Global Health Security and Global Health Diplomacy. He founded The Hegels and directs The Hegel Institute.
Qualifications
| Qualification | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|
| PhD, Global Public Health | The University of Edinburgh, UK | 2018–2022 |
| Certificate of Health Professional Education (CHPE) | Khyber Medical University, Pakistan | 2025 |
| Master of Public Health (MPH) | Khyber Medical University, Pakistan | 2014–2017 |
| MBBS | Khyber Medical University, Pakistan | 2006–2010 |
| Fellow (FRSPH) | Royal Society for Public Health, UK |
Career
| Period | Role | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–present | Director and CEO; Director, The Hegel Institute | The Hegels (Private) Limited, Islamabad |
| 2023–present | Associate Professor in Global Health; founding lead, Centre for Global Health | Health Services Academy, Islamabad |
| Current | Evaluation Lead (process evaluation), SPiRiT-D trial | NIHR Global Health Research Centre for IMPACT (University of York and Aga Khan University) |
| 2022–2023 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Global Public Health (TAP project) | University of York, UK |
| 2017–2018 | Deputy Director, Social Health Protection Initiative (Sehat Card) | Department of Health, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| 2016–2017 | Resident, Medical Oncology | Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Peshawar |
| 2014–present | Founder and Managing Partner | ICU Healthcare (digital health and research infrastructure) |
| 2013–2014 | Lecturer, Community Medicine and Public Health | Rehman Medical College, Peshawar |
Research
Research interests
- Health systems research, including financing, access and equity
- Social health protection and financial protection
- Tobacco-related non-communicable diseases, especially cancer, and access to cancer and palliative care
- Integration of mental health into primary care
- Physical rehabilitation and transition from humanitarian to national financing
Current and recent projects
- STEP-PAK (ICRC): Principal Investigator of a feasibility study on integrating ICRC-supported physical rehabilitation into Pakistan’s social health protection. Read the workshop report.
- SPiRiT-D (NIHR203248): Evaluation Lead for the process evaluation of a cluster randomised effectiveness-implementation trial of collaborative care for depression in primary care, within the NIHR Global Health Research Centre for IMPACT, led by the University of York and the Aga Khan University.
- TAP (UKRI MR/X004228/1): Postdoctoral Fellow on Tobacco Control Policies and the Health of Adolescents in Pakistan; five papers published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
Research funding
Values are the total value of each award as recorded in Dr Khan’s CV; his role on each is stated in the first column.
| Role | Funder | Focus | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Investigator | ICRC | Feasibility study for transitioning ICRC physical rehabilitation services in Pakistan and integrating them into social health protection programmes (STEP-PAK) | USD 36,000 |
| Evaluation Lead | NIHR | Process evaluation of the integration of mental health services in primary care in Pakistan (SPiRiT-D, Centre for IMPACT) | USD 7,600,000 |
| Postdoc (key implementation role) | UKRI | Tobacco control policies and the health of adolescents in Pakistan (TAP), delivered for the University of York | USD 300,000 |
| Counterpart (as General Secretary, Public Health Association KP) | UNICEF | COVID-19 implementation grant: telemedicine services for pregnant and lactating women across Pakistan | USD 160,000 |
| Co-PI (ICU Healthcare as consortium partner) | KfW SHPI consortium | Impact assessment of social health protection in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Heidelberg University and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg (BMZ funding) | €700,000 |
| Co-lead (ICU Healthcare as partner) | DAAD | Research partnership between Khyber Medical University and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg | USD 30,000 |
| Co-Investigator | ICU Healthcare / University of Göttingen | Data systems, call-centre analytics and feedback integration for insurance programme monitoring | USD 37,000 |
| Principal Investigator (Lead Consultant) | GIZ | Baseline indicators for large-scale social health protection programmes | USD 50,000 |
| Principal Investigator | WHO, Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research | Mixed-method evaluation of inpatient insurance models | USD 20,000 |
| Principal Investigator | WHO, Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research | Narratives and counter-narratives on polio vaccine refusal in Pakistan | USD 20,000 |
| Principal Investigator | WHO, Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research | Immunisation equity and barriers to vaccination for children in Balochistan | USD 20,000 |
Total portfolio: about USD 8.97 million across all roles.
Publications
Dr Khan’s work on adolescents and nicotine pouches was cited in an editorial in Nicotine and Tobacco Research as an example of high-quality qualitative inquiry (editorial). Full lists: University of York research portal.
Selected peer-reviewed papers
- Faisal MR, Bhatti MM, Walker S, Khan SA, et al. Strengthening Primary Care for Recognising and Treating Depression (SPiRiT-D): a study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled effectiveness-implementation trial of collaborative care for depression. Trials. 2026.
- Khan SA, Zahra FT, Farzeen M, Khan A, Siddiqi K, Bauld L, Moodie C. The perceptions of nicotine pouches among adolescents in Pakistan: a qualitative study. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. 2025:ntaf223.
- Farzeen M, Ansari S, Khan A, Moodie C, Sheikh A, Hewitt C, Khan SA, et al. Exposure, access, susceptibility to, and use of nicotine and tobacco products among 10–16-year-olds: national cross-sectional survey of 14,232 children in Pakistan. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. 2025:ntaf171.
- Farzeen M, Moodie C, Khan Z, Khan SA, Ansari S, Khan A, Siddiqi K. The availability and marketing of nicotine pouches at tobacco-selling points-of-sale in Pakistan. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. 2025:ntaf069.
- Hanif M, Naeem N, Khan SA, et al. Capacity building and enhancing knowledge of the healthcare providers on inappropriate practices and dispensing of antimicrobials. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024;74(11).
- Khan SA, Cresswell K, Sheikh A. The German Development Bank as a policy entrepreneur for social health protection: a case study of the Sehat Sahulat Programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2023;7:e2023025.
- Khan SA, Cresswell K, Sheikh A. The notion of access to health care in a large-scale social health protection initiative: a case study of the Sehat Sahulat Programme. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2023;7:e2023024.
- Khan SA, Khan RS, Jamil A. Using health insurance databases for epidemiological research: a scoping review. Khyber Med Univ J. 2022;14(4):281–91.
- Khan SA, Cresswell K, Sheikh A. Contextualising Sehat Sahulat Program in the drive towards universal health coverage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Khyber Med Univ J. 2022;14(1).
- Yousafzai AW, Khan SA, Bano S, Khan MM. Exploring the phenomenon of suicidal behaviour: an explanatory, mixed-method study in rural Pakistan. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2021.
- Khan SA, Ashfaq M, Ayub A, Jamil A, et al. Developing a three-dimensional narrative to counter polio vaccine refusal in Charsadda. J Glob Health. 2020;10(2):021301.
- Cresswell K, Callaghan M, Khan S, Sheikh Z, Mozaffar H, Sheikh A. Investigating the use of data-driven artificial intelligence in computerised decision support systems for health and social care: a systematic review. Health Informatics Journal. 2020;26(3):2138–47.
- Khan SA, Ayub A, Khan KA, Khan RS, Jamil A. Political architecture and legal framework related to social health protection schemes in Pakistan: qualitative inquiry of policy makers’ viewpoint. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2018;30(3):389–96.
- Khan Z, Khan S, Christianson L, et al. Smokeless tobacco and oral potentially malignant disorders in South Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. 2017.
- Khan Z, Dreger S, Shah SMH, Pohlabeln H, Khan S, et al. Oral cancer via the bargain bin: the risk of oral cancer associated with a smokeless tobacco product (Naswar). PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180445.
Policy reports
- Scientific report and policy paper (Principal Investigator) on implementation barriers in the inpatient care process of the Sehat Sahulat Program, commissioned by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO.
- First-year report on services utilisation under the universal population coverage of Sehat Card Plus, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2022), with Khattak AR and Shahab R.
- Monitoring and evaluation framework for a results-based lending programme between ADB and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2022).
- Standard operating procedures for the outpatient component of Pakistan’s social health protection programme, supported by the German Development Bank (2022).
- Spot-check report on the integrated social health protection programme, commissioned by ADB (2023).
Policy and advisory
Dr Khan has led and contributed to assignments for multilateral agencies and governments on health systems strengthening, financing reform and health security governance.
| Domain | Role | Client | Scale | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health security and governance | Team Lead | FCDO (Palladium) | Provincial, system-wide | Developed IHR (2005)-aligned governance frameworks, strengthening multisectoral coordination and preparedness |
| Health security and legal reform | Team Lead | FCDO (Palladium) | Provincial | Led revision of public health legislation aligned with the IHR |
| Preparedness systems | Team Lead | FCDO (Palladium) | System-wide | Designed and institutionalised outbreak Simulation Exercises (SimEx) |
| Health systems strengthening | Health Systems Specialist | ADB | USD 100 million | Supported design and implementation of a results-based health systems programme |
| Social protection financing | Health Systems Specialist | ADB | USD 500 million | Contributed to the design of an integrated social protection programme |
| Pandemic risk financing | Insurance and Risk Financing Specialist | ADB | National | Assessed disaster and pandemic risk financing readiness |
| Disease surveillance | IDSR LMS Consultant | UKHSA | National | Developed a scalable e-learning system for integrated disease surveillance and response |
| Universal health coverage | UHC Consultant | GIZ | National | Supported implementation of social health protection programmes |
| Governance and capacity building | Consultant | GIZ | National | Delivered capacity building on health financing and stewardship |
| Data systems and analytics | Consultant | GIZ | National | Advanced analytics of insurance programmes to inform policy |
Legislation
| Instrument | Role |
|---|---|
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Health Act, 2026 | Technical assistance team lead |
| Paraplegic Centre (Amendment) Act, 2026 | Technical assistance co-team lead |
| Pakistan Institute of Prosthesis and Orthosis (Amendment) Act, 2026 | Technical assistance co-team lead |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universal Health Coverage Act, 2022 | Draft |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 Act, 2014 | Draft |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disability Act, 2012 | Draft |
Other technical outputs include hospital empanelment criteria and an operational manual for the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan.
Teaching and supervision
Teaching
- Founding lead of the Centre for Global Health, Health Services Academy: designed Pakistan’s first postgraduate programmes in Global Health Security and Global Health Diplomacy.
- Executive training for senior leadership of publicly funded health insurance programmes on health financing, strategic purchasing and stewardship.
- Outbreak Simulation Exercises (SimEx) for health system actors.
- Research training and methodology exchange with the University of York (Mexico City) and NIHR leadership development (Colombo).
- Lecturer in Community Medicine and Public Health, Rehman Medical College (2013–2014).
Supervision
Dr Khan welcomes enquiries from prospective postgraduate and doctoral researchers on:
- Social health protection and health financing
- Equity and financial protection in access to health care
- Access to cancer care and palliative services
- The burden of tobacco-related disease, especially cancer
- Global health security and governance
Doctoral and postgraduate researchers can also join the Hegel Research Clinic.
External activities
Invited talks and international engagement
| Theme | Organisation and place | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Pandemic and disaster risk financing | ADB and UNDP, Istanbul | Integrating health systems with financial risk protection |
| Social health protection systems | Health Systems Global, Bogotá (2022) and Liverpool | Speaker on health financing and insurance in low- and middle-income countries |
| Global health diplomacy curriculum | Geneva Graduate Institute, Geneva | International curriculum development |
| Health systems leadership | NIHR, Colombo | Capacity building and leadership development |
| Applied research methods | University of York, Mexico City | Research training and methodology exchange |
| Gender equity in health systems | GIZ, Berlin | Leadership dialogue on gender-responsive health systems |
| Social protection in fragile contexts | UNICEF and European Commission, Brussels (2017) | Panellist |
| Social inclusion and disability | JICA, Tokyo | Led a Pakistani delegation to a global exchange on inclusive health and social systems |
Networks
Health Systems Global; UHC Coalition; Global Health Diplomacy Institutional Network; Global Burden of Disease Study; JICA Alumni Network.
Leadership and founding roles
- Director and CEO, The Hegels; Director, The Hegel Institute
- Founder and Managing Partner, ICU Healthcare (digital health and research infrastructure)
- General Secretary, Public Health Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2014); supported the provincial COVID-19 response through mass media campaigns
- Founder and President, Cancer Support Group Pakistan (2010)
Prizes
- Second prize, national essay competition organised by the ICRC (2018): Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities
- First prize, national essay competition organised by the ICRC (2017): Give way to the ambulance, somebody you love might be in there
News and media
- STEP-PAK: a gated path to national ownership of physical rehabilitation in Pakistan (October 2026), with video of the ICRC Head of Delegation’s closing remarks.
All news, reports and galleries: News & Reports.
Contact
Email: drsheraz.ak@gmail.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sheraz-khan-dr
University of York profile: york.ac.uk
For organisational enquiries, see Contact The Hegels.