Ahmad Firas Khalid
Ahmad Firas Khalid is a medical doctor, a health policy researcher, and a lecturer on health systems and policy. Firas completed his PhD in Health Policy at McMaster University with a focus on supporting the use of research evidence to inform decision-making in crisis zones. Recently, Firas worked as a Senior Research and Learning Consultant at the Canadian Red Cross working on Epidemic Prevention and Control COVID-19 research. Previously, Firas worked as a COVID19 Research Manager at Evidence Aid and as a Health Policy Researcher at the Research Unit on Humanitarian Stakes and Practices (UREPH) at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Geneva, Switzerland. He also worked in the department of Child and Maternal Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Firas teaches pandemic-related courses at a number of Canadian Universities. Firas uses the expertise he developed during his education and professional experience to help educate people around the world about the health policy implications of coronaviruses. He is now applying the specialized knowledge he acquired about coronaviruses to the current COVID-19 pandemic, and has become a sought-after expert for media outlets seeking context for news stories. Firas has expertise in medicine, health policy, health education, knowledge translation and health emergencies working with relief and intergovernmental organizations.
Pandemic Related Publications:
Khalid, A. F, Lavis, JN., El-Jardali, F., Vanstone, M. Supporting the use of research evidence in decision-making in crisis zones in low- and middle-income countries: A critical interpretive synthesis. Health Research Policy and Systems. 2020 February 18; 18, 21. Impact Factor 2.863. First Author.
Khalid, A. F., Lavis, J. N., El-Jardali, F., & Vanstone, M. Stakeholders’ experiences with the Evidence Aid website to support ‘real-time’ use of research evidence to inform decision-making in crisis zones: a user testing study. Health Research Policy and Systems. 2019 December 30; 17, 106. Impact Factor 2.863. First Author.
2021 April 01 Health Policy Expert. Dr. Ahmad Firas Khalid returned to the show, to help us get ready for the COVID-19 shutdown. Interviewer: Scott Thompson. 900 CHML The Scott Thompson Show. Global News.
2021 March 29 Health Policy Expert. Next up, Scott welcomed Dr. Khalid back to the show, to get his input on a caller's question, as well as to help everyone catch up with the news surrounding Ontario's case numbers, and the World Health Organization's forthcoming report from their investigation in China. Interviewer: Scott Thompson. 900 CHML The Scott Thompson Show. Global News.
2021 March 25 Queen Elizabeth Scholar. QES Stories: Ambitious approaches, interconnected experiences: a scholar’s COVID-19 response. Interviewer: Marlene Oliveira. Community Foundations of Canada.
2021 March 23 Health Policy Expert. Dr. Khalid returned to the show to discuss updates on just about everything related to COVID-19. What does the latest AstraZeneca news means? Interviewer: Scott Thompson. 900 CHML The Scott Thompson Show. Global News.
2020 December 07 Health Policy Expert. Should Canada test everyone for COVID-19 - COVID-19 rapid antigen testing. Interviewer: Alexandra Pinto & Max Wark. CTV National News Kitchener. CTV News.
2020 November 11 Health Policy Expert. Waterloo region hospitals monitoring capacity amid COVID-19 surge. Interviewer: Jeff Picket. CTV National News Kitchener. CTV News.
2020 August 26 Health Policy Instructor. If you aren’t sick of the pandemic, Ontario universities offer COVID courses this fall. Interviewer: Haydn Watters. CBC News.