Dr Tanvir Ahmed FRSPH, PhD, MPH, MBBS

Dr Tanvir Ahmed

Department of Applied Health Sciences
Project Manager

Contact details

Address
Murray Learning Centre
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dr Tanvir Ahmed is a public health researcher and Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), UK, with a background in clinical medicine and global public health and development. His work focuses on health systems research, access to healthcare and related disparity, digital health and Universal Health Coverage across Asia, Africa, and the UK.

Qualifications

  • Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), UK
  • PhD in Development Studies, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK - 2014 to 2020
  • Masters in Public Health (MPH), Bangladesh - 2007
  • Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Bangladesh - 1998 to 20

Biography

Dr Tanvir Ahmed is a registered Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), United Kingdom. His professional trajectory in public health began with a foundation in clinical medicine, subsequently evolving into a focus on health systems and global health research. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Bangladesh and a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, United Kingdom.

Over the past 15 years, Tanvir has led, managed, and contributed to a wide range of interdisciplinary research initiatives funded by prominent institutions including the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), among others. His work has spanned diverse geographical contexts across Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Timor-Leste), Africa (Uganda, Tanzania), and the United Kingdom, primarily in the capacity of a researcher.

Tanvir's principal research interests centre on exploring inequities in public health, with a particular emphasis on access to healthcare and the promotion of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), especially within resource-limited settings. He possesses extensive expertise in mixed-methods research and has employed a broad array of methodological approaches across thematic areas such as digital health, public health nutrition, healthcare financing, service delivery systems, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, COVID-19, and maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH). His scholarly contributions in these domains have been published in peer-reviewed journals and collectively cited over 1,000 times.

In addition to his research activities, Tanvir has taught public health at the postgraduate level in both Bangladesh and the United Kingdom. He is deeply committed to participatory, practice-oriented teaching methodologies that emphasise real-world examples and foster critical engagement.

Currently, Tanvir is managing a collaborative research project aimed at co-developing integrated solutions across health, climate, and disaster management sectors, in partnership with communities and stakeholders in India. This initiative involves leading academic institutions from the United Kingdom, India, and the United States, and is supported by the governments of Bihar and Kerala, alongside global experts. The project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), United Kingdom.

Teaching

Tanvir is currently co-leading the Health System Policy, Planning & Programming in Global Health together with Professor Semira Manaseki-Holland which is offered currently under the Master of Public Health.

He is also supervising a Masters student thesis on various range of public health domains focusing primarily on health systems, digital health and mental health.

Postgraduate supervision

Tanvir is currently co-supervising a doctoral work at the University of Birmingham which is focusing on need, scope and effectiveness of a community focused mental health intervention at the primary healthcare level in rural India.

Research

Current Project:

Tanvir is currently managing a multi-institutional project involving partners from the UK, India, and the US, with support from the governments of Bihar and Kerala, and guidance from global experts. Funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the project runs from January 2024 to December 2028 and is overseen by an independent advisory group. The initiative aims to strengthen healthcare systems’ resilience to floods, focusing on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It will co-develop integrated, evidence-based solutions across health, climate, and disaster management sectors, including flood-proof medicine delivery, mental health support, and training for healthcare providers. Advanced flood forecasting will be tailored to healthcare needs to enhance early warning systems and community preparedness. A cluster randomised controlled trial (c-RCT) will be conducted in 26 communities in Bihar to evaluate the interventions’ effectiveness and cost-efficiency. The project ensures inclusive, culturally sensitive community engagement throughout.