Profile Summary
Expert in infectious disease epidemiology and clinical management of epidemic-prone diseases.
Dr. Saidu Idris Ahmad is a physician and public health specialist with expertise in tropical medicine, infectious diseases, and social and behavioral sciences. He holds an MBBS degree from Bayero University Kano and an MPH (Social and Behavioral Science) from the University of Ghana. He is a WHO/TDR Fellow in Implementation Research with a focus on Infectious Diseases of Poverty. He has over six years of progressive experience working across humanitarian, development, and government-supported health programs in Nigeria and Ghana. His work focuses on infectious diseases, child health, immunization, nutrition, and implementation research, with particular interest in understanding social, behavioral drivers, and health system factors influencing infectious disease prevention and control in low-resource and humanitarian settings. Dr. Saidu has led and contributed to multidisciplinary research and programmatic initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes through evidence-based, context-sensitive approaches. He recently served as Social Science Research Manager with the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), where he led the qualitative research component of the NutriVax–Measles trial in Yobe State, Nigeria. The trial, funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Eleanor Crook Foundation, examined the feasibility and acceptability of coupling SQ-LNS supplementation with measles immunization to improve vaccination uptake among children aged 6–23 months in Yobe State Nigeria. In addition, through his work with The Global Research and Analyses for Public Health (GRAPH) Network, he supports a project on mapping the burden, access gaps, and health system capacity for plastic and reconstructive surgery across sub-Saharan Africa. His contributions focus on synthesizing evidence on trauma-related and reconstructive surgical needs to inform policy, service delivery, and health system strengthening in resource-limited settings. Dr Saidu has published and contributed to global health research, including studies featured in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, and has supported large-scale global health surveys and implementation studies. He is committed to strengthening health systems, building local research capacity, and advancing locally driven solutions to infectious disease challenges in endemic settings.