Curriculum Vitae

Kaosar Afsana

Contact Address
BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health I BRAC University
5th Floor, (Level-6) I icddr,b Building I 68 Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Sharani Mohakhali
Dhaka 1212 I Bangladesh
T +880-2-9827501-4 Ext 6050 I C: +8801711404572 I F +880-2-8810383
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Skype afsanak I W sph.bracu.ac.bd

Personal Statement

I have research and implementation experience of 30 years in public health with specific focus on
reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health (RMNCH); nutrition; early childhood development;
health system, community engagement and women’s empowerment. My background is quite broad
as I was involved in doing research and evaluation in my early years at BRAC (ranked largest NGO
in the World), but, subsequently led and managed health, nutrition and population interventions of
BRAC with an annual budget of USD 30-40 million till my tenure completed in 2018. Before 2003,
while fully involved in research and evaluation, I acquired skills in mixed methods essentially in
qualitative research. During the period 2003-2018, I played a significant role in BRAC from
development to humanitarian interventions. I conceived, designed, prepared protocol and managed
implementation and secured grants of over USD 150 million on maternal, newborn child health and
nutrition. I became adjunct faculty at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health and became
Professor in 2011. Currently, using mixed method, I am leading research in nutrition, SRHR, early
childhood development and Covid-19 related issues. I also take classes as guest lecturer in MPH
programme in different courses. My broader experience in both research and management in fact
has led me to get engaged in policy influencing playing an active role MNCH, SRHR and nutrition
arenas. I have authored two books and published over 120 papers largely in international peer-
reviewed journals and books.
Professional Skills

 Research and development  Strong leadership and management

 Analytical and problem solving ability  Strategy development and policy-making
 Coaching and mentoring staff  Communication skills and advocacy
 Teaching, and supervising students  Networking, liaising and fund-raising

Areas of Expertise

Nearly 30 years of experience in the field of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and
Nutrition; Multi-sectoral approach to Nutrition; Early Childhood Development; Non-communicable Diseases;
Primary Health Care; Community Health; Health System Strengthening; Fragility and health; Gender; and Equity

Current Position

Professor, James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Bangladesh

Research in maternal, neonatal and child health; reproductive health; nutrition and NCDs; early
childhood development; health and displacement; teach in reproductive health and health system
strengthening; and supervise and mentor students
 Qualifications
 PhD in Public Health
2003 Edith Cowan University, Western Australia (Thesis Title: Power, Knowledge and Childbirth
Practices: An Ethnographic Exploration in Bangladesh)
 MPH in International Health
1997 Harvard School of Pubic Health, Massachusetts, USA

 MBBS
1983 Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka University, Bangladesh

Employment Details
1. Professor, James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, 2011-
2. Director, Health, Nutrition & Population Programme, BRAC, March 2012-Nov 2018
Overall responsibility of BRAC Health Nutrition and Population Programme (Essential Health Care;
Reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health; Nutrition; Non-communicable diseases;
Eye care; Physical Disability; mHealth; Health Care Financing; and BRAC Health Facilities)
3. Associate Director, July 2009-February 2012
Overall coordination and management of reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health
(MNCH) interventions in rural and urban areas; and Nutrition Programmes
-Project Director in Manoshi, community based maternal, newborn and child health project in urban
slums of Bangladesh (2007-12) funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
-Project Director in Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival, community based project in
10 rural districts (2008-13) funded by DFID, AusAID and EKN
-Project Lead of BRAC Nutrition Programmes
-Project Lead in m-health, community mobile health project for addressing MDGs 4&5 (2010-12)
funded by Rockefeller Foundation, Ausaid, EngenderHealth and BRAC
≈ Influences policy at country and global levels for maternal, neonatal and child health and
nutrition
≈Mobilizing financial resources for the project including designing and writing project proposals
4. Program Head, BRAC Health Program, July 2008-June 2009
≈ Designs, co-ordinates and oversees community-based maternal, neonatal and child
health interventions in rural and urban areas with emphasis on community empowerment
and health system development
≈ Influences policy at country and global levels for maternal, neonatal and child health
5. Program Coordinator, BRAC Health Program, BRAC, July 2006-June 2008
≈ Designs, develops proposal and co-ordinates community-based maternal, neonatal and child
health interventions in rural and urban areas with emphasis on community empowerment and
health system development
≈ Designs and co-ordinates implementations of Early Childhood Development Program at community
level in rural areas focussing on the cognitive and motor development of pre-school children with the
assistance of adolescent girls
≈ Doing research in intervention areas
6. Program Manager, BRAC Health Program, BRAC, November 2003-June 2006
≈ Designs and co-ordinates community-based maternal, neonatal and child health interventions in
rural and urban areas with emphasis on community empowerment and health system development
≈ Supervises and co-ordinates implementations of National Nutrition Program, a partnership program
with the government at community level in rural areas focusing on the improvement of health and
nutrition status of children and mothers
≈ Supervises and co-ordinates implementations of Early Childhood Development Program at
community level in rural areas focussing on the cognitive and motor development of pre-school
children with the assistance of adolescent girls
≈ Doing research in intervention areas
7. Senior Sector Specialist, Health and Nutrition Program, BRAC, August 2003 – October 2003
≈ Co-ordinates community based programs in rural areas focusing, particularly, on the development of
community health volunteers and field health workers of Essential Health Care program of BRAC
8. Senior Research Fellow, Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, February 1999-July 2003,
≈ Co-coordinator of the health group; Work involves quantitative and qualitative data collection and
analysis in reproductive health, quality of care, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, gender
issues; focus being on BRAC’s Health Program;
≈ Train medical doctors, paraprofessionals and field staff in women’s health, reproductive health,
quality of care and gender issues
≈ Guide and supervise junior researchers and intern students
≈ Coordinate journal club, academic discussion, workshop and seminars
9. Associate Research Fellow, August 1995-January 1999
≈ Work involves evaluation of Women’s Health and Development Program, BRAC
≈ Quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis in the area of reproductive health,
management quality, quality of care of tuberculosis program and sexually transmitted diseases, gender
issues
10. Research Fellow, June 1992-July 1995
≈ Work involves evaluation of Women’s Health and Development Program, BRAC
≈ Quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis in the area of reproductive health,
management quality, quality of care of tuberculosis program and sexually transmitted diseases, gender
issues
11. Volunteer Health Worker, Central Health Services, Ottawa (Canada); August 1986- August 1991
≈ Worked in the community for elderly people looking after their health related problems;
≈ provided counseling and advice to elderly people
12. Anaesthetist, Dhaka Medical College Hospital; January 1985 – August 1985.
≈ Work involved giving anaesthesia, managing patients during operations and in post-operative wards
13. Medical Officer in Masimpur Thana Health Complex, Tongi, Dhaka; March –December 1984.
≈ Work involved seeing patients at the outpatient department
14. Internship, Dhaka Medical College Hospital; March1983- February1984.
≈ Residency involved working in the inpatient and outpatient departments of the Obstetrics and
Gynaecology, Surgery and Medicine; Major in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Current Research Projects

1. Menstrual regulation and Post-abortion Care in Rohingya Regugee Camps (Three Years)
2. Development of Nutrition Messages for Schools (Eight Months)
3. Rana Plaza Tragedy – a Havoc in Modern Era of Bangladesh (12 months)
4. Process Evaluation of BRAC Humanitarian Play Lab in Rohingya Refugee Camps (5 years)
5. Mapping of Hard-to-Reach Areas based on Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Reproductive and
Maternal Health (RMH) Care Services in Bangladesh (12 months)

Publications

1. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Heterogeneous contributions of change in population

distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight. eLife 2021;10:e60060. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.60060
2. Scott S, Nguyen PH, Neupane S, Pramanik P, Nanda P, Bhutta ZA, Afsana K, Menon P. Early marriage
and early childbearing in South Asia: trends, inequalities, and drivers from 2005 to 2018. Annals of
the New York Academy of Sciences. Dec 2020, 1-20. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14531
3. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged
children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis of
2181 population-based studies with 65 million participants. Lancet 2020; 396: 1511–24.
4. Afsana K. Heard and Hard Reality of Maternal Health: Are We Oversimplifying the Challenges in
Bangladesh? In Emma J. Flatt, Vani S, Murali, Silvia Tieri (eds). Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary
perspectives on Women's Status, Challenges and Futures. Singapore: World Scientific, 2020.
5. Ngyyen P, Scott S, Khuong L, Pramanik P, Ahmed A, Afsana K, Menon P. Why Are Adolescent
Mothers More Likely to Have Stunted and Underweight Children Than Adult Mothers? A Path
Analysis Using Data from 30,000 Bangladeshi Mothers, 1996–2014. Current Developments in
Nutrition, June 2020, Vol 4, Issue Supplement_2:1463-1463,
https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa061_091
6. Scott S, Ngyyen P, Neupane, S, Pramanik P, Nanda P, Bhutta Z, Menon P. Afsana K. How Has Early
Marriage, a Critical Social Determinant of Child Stunting and Wasting, Changed over a Decade in
South Asia? Trends, Inequities and Drivers, 2005 to 2018. Current Developments in Nutrition, June
2020, Vol 4, Issue Supplement _2:1484-1484, DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzaa061_112
7. Jolly SP, Chowdhury, T, Rahman M, Alam A, Afsana K. Prevention of social exclusion and role of
antenatal care by BRAC community health workers in improving safe motherhood and neonatal care
in urban slums of Bangladesh. July 2020. PLoS ONE 15(7):e0235340. DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0235340
8. Khan N, Rahman M, Mitra D, Afsana K. Prevalence of multimorbidity among Bangladeshi adult
population: a nationwide cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, Nov 2019: 9 (11):e030886. doi:10.1136/
bmjopen-2019-030886.
9. Todd CS, Chowdhury Z, Mahmud Z, IslamI N, Shabnam S, Parvin M, Bernholc A, Martinez A, Aktar B,
Afsana K, Sanghvi T. Maternal nutrition intervention and maternal complications in 4 districts of
Bangladesh: A nested cross-sectional study. PLOS Medicine. Oct 4, 2019.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002927
10. Khanam, F., Hossain, M.B., Mistry, S.K., Afsana, K. and Rahman, M. Prevalence and Risk Factors of
Cardiovascular Diseases among Bangladeshi Adults: Findings from a Cross-sectional Study. Journal
of epidemiology and global health, 2019. 9(3), pp.176-184.
11. Yunus F, Das A, Jalal Chowdhury , Afsana K, Podder R, Vandenberg A, Henry C, DellaValle D. A Community
Trial Examining the Effectiveness of Iron-fortified Lentils to Improve Iron Status Among Bangladeshi
Adolescent Girls: Results from a Baseline Survey. Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 3, Issue
Supplement_1, June 2019, nzz034.P10-099-19, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzz034.P10-099-19
12. Yunus FM, Jalal C, Afsana K, Podder R, Vandenberg A, DellaValle DM. Iron-fortified lentils to
improve iron (Fe) status among adolescent girls in Bangladesh - study protocol for a double-blind
community-based randomized controlled trial. Trials, May 2019. 20:251.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-019-3309-4.
13. Cross S, Gon G, Morrison E, Afsana K, Ali SM, Manjang T, Manneh L, Rahman A, Saxena D, Vora K, Graham WJ.
(2019) An invisible workforce: the neglected role of cleaners in patient safety on maternity units, Global Health
Action, 12:1, 1480085, DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2018.1480085
14. Bhutta ZA, Bang A, Afsana K, Gyawali B, Mirzazada S, Jayatissa R. Rethinking community based
strategies to tackle health inequities in South Asia. BMJ 2018; 363:k4884. doi: 10.1136/bmj.k4884
(Published 29 November 2018).
15. Mistry SK, Hossain MB, Khanam F, Akter F, Parvez M, Yunus FD, Afsana K, Rahman M. Individual-,
maternal- and household-level factors associated with stunting among children aged 0–23 months
in Bangladesh. Public Health Nutrition. 2018
16. Huda TM, Rahman MM, Raihana S, Islam S , Tahsina T, Alam A, Agho K, Rasheed S, Hayes A, Karim
MA, Rahman QS, Siddique AB, Moinuddin M, Chowdhury M, Ghose L, Afsana K, Raynes-Greenow C,
Arifeen SE, Dibley MJ. A community-based cluster randomised controlled trial in rural Bangladesh to
evaluate the impact of the use of iron-folic acid supplements early in pregnancy on the risk of
neonatal mortality: the Shonjibon trial. BMC Public Health. 2018, 18:816, pp 1-11.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5713-1
17. Khanam F, Hossain B, Mistry SK, Mitra DK, Raza WA, Rifat M, Afsana K, Rahman M. The association
between daily 500 mg calcium supplementation and lower pregnancy-induced hypertension risk in
Bangladesh. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2018) 18:406. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-
2046-0
18. Dipak K. Mitra DK, Mistry SK, Afsana K, Rahman M. Demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle
determinants of under- and over-nutrition among Bangladeshi adult population: Results from a large
cross-sectional study. J Epidemiology and Global Health, 2018 April
19. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) .Contributions of mean and shape of blood pressure
distribution to worldwide trends and variations in raised blood pressure: a pooled analysis of 1018
population-based measurement studies with 88.6 million participants. Int J Epidemiol. 2018 Mar 19.
20. Nguyen PH, Kim SS, Sanghvi, Mahmud Z, Tran LM, Shabnam S, Akhter B, Haque R, Afsana K, Frongillo
EA, Ruel MT, Menon P. Integrating Nutrition Interventions into an Existing Maternal, Neonatal, and
Child Health Program Increased Maternal Dietary Diversity, Micronutrient Intake, and Exclusive
Breastfeeding Practices in Bangladesh: Results of a Cluster-Randomized Program Evaluation. The
Journal of Nutrition. October 11, 2017 as doi: 10.3945/jn.117.257303.
21. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight,
overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based
measurement studies in 128·9 million children, adolescents, and adults.Lancet. 2017 Oct 10. pii:
S0140-6736(17)32129-3. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32129-3. [Epub ahead of print].
22. Nambiar D, Razzak, J, Afsana K, Adams AM, Hasan A, Mohan D, Patel V. Mental Illness and Injuries:
Emerging Health Challenges of Urbanization in South Asia. The BMJ. 2017; 357: J1126 l doi:
10.1136/bmj.j1126.
23. Nguyen PH, Sanghvi T, Kim SS, Tran LM, Afsana K, Mahmud Z, et al. (2017) Factors influencing
maternal nutrition practices in a large scale maternal, newborn and child health program in
Bangladesh. PLoS ONE 2017 12(7): e0179873. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179873
24. Nguyen PH, Sanghvi T, Tran LM, Afsana K, Mahmud Z, Aktar B, Haque R, Menon M. The nutrition and
health risks faced by pregnant adolescents: Insights from a crosssectional study in Bangladesh. PLoS
ONE 2017 12(6): e0178878. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178878
25. Mistry SK, Jhohura FT, Khanam F, Akter F, Khan S, Yunus FM, Hossain MB, Afsana K, Haque MR,
Rahman M. An outline of anemia among adolescent girls in Bangladesh: findings from a cross-
sectional study. BMC Hematol. 2017 Aug 22;17:13. doi: 10.1186/s12878-017-0084-x. eCollection
201.
26. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015: a
pooled analysis of 1479 population-based measurement studies with 19·1 million participants.
Lancet. 2017 Jan 7;389(10064):37-55.
27. Yunus FM, Khan S, Mitra DK, Mistry SK, Afsana K, Rahman M.Relationship of sleep pattern and
snoring with chronic disease: findings from a nationwide population-based survey. Sleep Health.
2018 Feb;4(1):40-48. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2017.10.003. Epub 2017 Nov 20.
28. Frontgillo EA, Nguyen PH, Saha KK, Sanghvi T, Afsana K, Haque, R, Baker J, Ruel MT, Rawat R, Menon
P. Large Scale Behavior-Change Initiative for Infant and Young Child Feeding Advanced Language and
Motor Development in a Cluster-Randomised Program Evaluation in Bangladesh. The Journal of
Nutrition. Dec 28, 2016. doi:10.3945/jn.116.240861
29. Parven S, Rahman M, Yunus F, Afsana K, Chowdhury M Evaluation of Maternal Health Service
Indicators in Urban Slum of Bangladesh.PLoS One. 2016 Oct 12;11(10):e0162825. doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0162825
30. Graham WJ, Morrison M, Dancer S, Afsana K, Aulakh A, Campbell OMR, Cross S, Ellis R, Enkubahiri S,
Fekad B , Gon G, Idoko P, Moore J, Saxena D, Velleman Y, Woodd S. What are threats for
antimicrobial resistance in maternity units in low-and middle-income countries? Global Health
Action. Sept 2016. 9:33381. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v9.33381
31. Rahman M, Shah R,Jjhohura FT, Mistry SK, Fakir Y, Ishaque T, Akhtar B, Afsana K. A controlled
before-and-after perspective of the Improved Maternal Neonatal Child Survival in rural Bangladesh:
an impact analysis. PLoS One. 2016 Sep 1;11(9):e0161647. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161647.
eCollection 2016
32. Kruk ME, Kujawski S, Moyer CA, Adanu RM, Afsana K, Cohen J, Glassman A, Labrique A, Reddy KS,
Yamey G. Next generation maternal health: external shocks and health system innovations. Lancet
Sept 15, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31395-2
33. Nasreen HE, Afsana K. Maternal, neonatal and child health. In Mahabub Hossain et al (eds). Driving
Development. A Story of BRAC’s Evolution and Effectiveness. Dhaka: The University Press Ltd. 2016.
34. Ahmed SM, Afsana K, Islam A, Ahmed F. Reaching healthcare to grassroots. In Mahabub Hossain et
al (eds). Driving Development. A Story of BRAC’s Evolution and Effectiveness. Dhaka: The University
Press Ltd. 2016.
35. Menon, P, Nguyen PH, Saha KK, Khaleda A, Sanghvi T, Baker J, Afsana K, Haque R, Frongillo EA, Ruel
M, Rawat R. Combining intensive counselling by frontline workers with a mass media campaign has
large differential impacts on complementary feeding practices but not on child growth: Results of a
cluster-randomised program evaluation in Bangladesh. The Journal of Nutrition. August 31, 2016.
doi: 10.3945/jn.116.232314.
36. Patel MS, Afsana K, Phillips C. Tracking progress towards health and equity through the Millennium
Development Goals - Lessons for public health surveillance. In Scott JN McNabb et al
(eds).Transforming Public Health Surveillance. Proactive Measures for Prevention, Detection, and
Response. India: Elsevier. 2016.
37. Sanghvi T, Haque, R, Roy S, Afsana K, Seidel, R, Islam, S, Jimmerson A, Baker J. Achieving behaviour
change at scale: Alive & Thrive’s infant and young child feeding programme in Bangladesh. In
Victoria Hall Moran and Rafael Perez-Escamilla (eds). Maternal & Child Nutrition. 2016 Vol 12 (Suppl.
1) pp 141-154
38. Marcil L, Afsana, K, Perry HB. First steps in an effective maternal, neonatal and child health program
in urban slums: The BRAC Manoshi Project’s experience with community engagement, social
mapping and census taking in Bangladesh. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York
Academy of Medicine. Feb 1, 2016. doi: 10.1007/s11524-016-0026-0.
39. Islam S, Hirayama T, Islam A, Ishikawa A, Afsana K, Treatment referral system for tuberculosis
patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Public Health Action, 5 (4), 2015.
40. Rahman M, Jhohura FT, Mistry SK, Chowdhury TR, Ishtiaue T. Shah R, Afsana K. Assessing
Community Based Improved Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival (IMNCS) Program in Rural
Bangladesh. PLos One I 2015, 10 (9): e0136898. doi: 10, 1371/journal.pone.0136898
41. Lori D, et al, Prioritising women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health in the post-2015 world, BMJ,
2015, 351 suppl, 66-70.
42. Afsana K, Rashid SF, Islam KF, Hashim P. Health Care in Urban Slums of Bangladesh. Taking Services
at the Doorsteps of the Poor? In Syed Masud Ahmed et al (eds) Urban Health Scenario. Looking
Beyond. Bangladesh Health Watch 2014, BRAC University: Dhaka, 2015.

43. Murphy J, Hatfield J, Afsana K, Neufeld V. Making a Commitment to Ethics in Global Health
Research Partnerships: A Practical Tool to Support Ethical Practice. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry.
2015 Feb; 11(4). DOI:10.1007/s11673-014-9604-6
44. Campbell OMR, Benova L, Gon G, Afsana K, Cumming O, Getting the basics right – the role of water,
sanitation and hygiene in maternal and reproductive health; a conceptual framework. PLOS
Medicine, 2014. doi:10.1111/tmi.12439
45. Rounaq J, Afsana K, Sustaining Progress toward Comprehensive Reproductive Health Services in
Bangladesh. Global Public Health Dec 2014. DOI:10.1080/17441692.2014.986164
46. Velleman Y, Mason EM, Graham W, Benova L, Chopra M, Campbell OMR, Gordon BA, Wijesekera S,
Hounton S, Mills JE, Curtis V, Afsana K, Boisson S, Magoma M, Cairncross S, Cumming O. From joint
thinking to joint action: A call to action on improving water, sanitation and hygiene for maternal and
newborn health. PLOS Medicine 2014 Dec; 11 (2): 1-9.
47. VanderEnde, KE, Moran AC, Leasure K, Day LT, Afsana K6, Kalim N, Munira S, Rahman N, Islam N,
Khan J, Sibley LM. Recognition of and Response to Neonatal Intrapartum-related Complications in
Home-birth Settings in Bangladesh. J Health Popul Nutr 2014 Sep;32(3):503-512.
48. Afsana K, Evans J, Crisis of health workforce in Bangladesh: a non-government organization’s
experience in deploying community health workers in primary health care, Perspectives in Public
Health, September 2014 Vol 134 No 5; 253-254.
49. Afsana K, Haque MR, Sobhan S, Shahin SA, BRAC’s experience in scaling-up MNP in Bangladesh. Asia
Pac J Clin Nutr 2014;23(3):377-384.
50. Afsana K, Wahid SS. Health care for poor people in the urban slums of Bangladesh. The Lancet 2013,
Dec 21;382(9910):2049-51
51. Avula R, Menon P, Saha KK, Bhuiyan MI, Chowdhury AS, Siraj S, Haque R, Jalal CSB, Afsana K,
Frongillo EA. A Program Impact Pathway Analysis Identifies Critical Steps in the Implementation and
Utilization of a Behavior Change Communication Intervention Promoting Infant and Child Feeding
Practices in Bangladesh. The Journal of Nutrition. September 25, 2013:1-9
52. Murphy J, Neufeld VR, Habte D, Aseffa A, Afsana., K, Kumar A, Larrea MDL, Hatfield, J. Ethical
Considerations of Global Health Partnership, In Andrew D Pinto and Ross E.G Uoshur (Eds) An
Introduction to Global Health Ethics, Routledge, 2013
53. Afsana K, Empowering Community for Improving Maternal and Neonatal Care: Evidence from
BRAC’s Interventions in Bangladesh. In Julia Hussein, A McCaw-Binns and R Webber (Eds.). Maternal
and perinatal mortality in developing countries, Oxford: CABI, 2012.
54. Haqqani, N, VanderEnde, K, Moran A, Afsana, K, Day LT, Sibley, L. Exploring the Recognition of and
initial response to prolonged labor and birth asphyxia in Dhaka, Dinajpur and Matlab in Bangladesh.
Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, Vol 56, p 528, Sept/Oct 2011
55. Hashima-E-Nasreen, Nahar S, Al Mamun M, Afsana K, Byass P. Oral misoprostol for preventing post-
partum haemorrhage in home births in rural Bangladesh. How effective is it? Global Health Action.
2011;4. doi: 10.3402/gha.v4i0.7017. Epub 2011 Aug 10.
56. Afsana K, Rohde J, Decline in Neonatal mortality in large poor populations. The Lancet. 2011, Jun
25;377(9784):2178-9
57. Ahmed SA, Hossain A, Khan MA, Mridha MK, Alam A, Choudhury N, Sharmin T, Afsana K, Bhuiya A,
Using formative research to develop MNCH programme in urban slums in Bangladesh: experiences
from MANOSHI, BRAC, BMC Public Health 2010, 10:663
58. Moran A, Wahed T, Afsana K. Oxytocin to augment labour during home births: an exploratory study
in the urban slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. BJOG 2010;117:1608–1615.
59. Afsana K, Scaling up of BRAC’s Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Interventions in Bangladesh, In R
Cash, AMR Chowdhury, GB Smith and F Ahmed (Eds.). From One to Many: Scaling health Programs
in Low Income Countries, Dhaka: The University Press Limited, 2010.
60. Afsana K, Rashid SF, Constructions of Birth. In H. Selin and P.K. Stone (Eds.). Childbirth across
Cultures: Ideas of pregnancy, Childbirth and post-partum period, New York: Springer, 2009.
61. Afsana, K., Habte, D., Hatfield, J., Murphy, J., and Neufeld, V. 2009. Partnership Assessment Toolkit.
Available at: www.ccghr.ca.
62. Afsana K, Rashid SF, Voices and Accountability. The State Of Health in Bangladesh 2006. Challenges
of Achieving Equity in Health. Bangladesh Health Watch, BRAC University: Dhaka, 2007.
63. Afsana, K, Rashid, SF, Chowdhury, AMR, Theobald, S, Promoting maternal health: Gender equity in
Bangladesh, British Journal of Midwifery, Vol 15, No 11, November, 2007
64. Nasreen, HE, Ahmed, SM, Begum, HA, Afsana, K, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Programmes
in Bangladesh: Review of good practices and lessons learned, Monograph Series 32., Dhaka: BRAC,
2007
65. Afsana K, Rashid SF, Voices and Accountability, Bangladesh Health Watch 2006 Abridged Version, 2006
66. Afsana, K, Disciplining Birth. Power, Knowledge and Childbirth Practices in Bangladesh, The
University Press Limited, Bangladesh, 2005.
67. Afsana K, The tremendous costs of seeking hospital obstetric care in Bangladesh, Reprod Health
Matters, Vol 12, No. 24, pp 1-11, November, 2004
68. Afsana K, Rashid SF, A women-centred analysis of birthing care in a rural health centre in Bangladesh,
Access to Quality Gender-Sensitive Health Services. Women-Centred Action Research, ARROW,
Malaysia, 2003
69. Afsana K, Rashid SF, The Challenges of meeting rural women’s needs in delivery care, Reprod Health
Matters, Vol. 9, No. 18, pp 1-15, November 2001
70. Rashid SF, Hadi A, Afsana K, Begum AS, Acute respiratory infections in rural Bangladesh: cultural
practices, understandings, and the role of mothers and community health volunteers. Journal of
Tropical Medicine and International Health, vol. 6, no 3, pp 1-7, 2001
71. Afsana K, Rashid SF, Discoursing Birthing Care: Experiences from BRAC, Bangladesh, The University
Press Limited, Bangladesh, 2000
72. Afsana K, Women, Workload and WHDP: Are Women Overburdened? Rural Study Series, Dhaka: BRAC,
1998.
73. Afsana K, Enhancing quality to improve health care: Lessons from BRAC, Implementing Women’s
Health Programs in the Community, The Bangladesh Experience, Dhaka: BRAC, 1998
74. Afsana K, Antenatal care services provided in the Health centres in rural areas, Rural Study Series,
Dhaka: BRAC, 1995

Technical Reports
1. Learning through Play: Looking into Play Lab in Government Primary School, 2020 (First author)
2. Socio-Cultural Understanding of ECD: Perspectives of the Rohingya Community in Cox’s Bazar,
Bangladesh, 2020 ( Lead author)
3. Perceptions of Rohingya Community about BRAC Humanitarian Play Lab and Changes Occurred
to Exposed Children, 2020 ( Lead author)
4. Health-seeking Behaviour for SRH Services of Rohinga Women in Rohingya Camps in Cox’s Bazar.
An Ethnographic Assessment, 2019 (First author)
5. A Story: Evolution of BRAC Humanitarian Play Lab in Rohingya Camps of Bangladesh, 2019 (First
author)
6. Factors affecting client utilization of Shushasthyo services, 1999 (first author)
7. Discoursing Birthing Care : Experiences from BRAC, Bangladesh, 1999 (first author)
8. Reaching quality services of BRAC health centers to the people, 1998 (first author)
9. Validation of baseline information of reproductive health and disease control program of BRAC,
1998 (first author)
10. Quality assessment of BRAC Health Centers, 1997 (first author)
11. Client satisfaction with antenatal care services of BRAC, 1996 (first author)
12. Competence of BRAC organizers in antenatal care centers of BRAC, 1996 (first author)
13. Quality of TB control Program of BRAC, 1995 (first author)
14. Quality of care: An Overview, 1995 (first author)
15. Utilization of iron-folic acid by pregnant women and lactating mothers in Women's Health and
Development Programme, 1995 (first author)
16. Perceptions of mothers about Iron-folic acid tablets, 1995 (first author)
17. Mother's Perceptions about antenatal health services provided by BRAC and the Government in
WHDP, 1995 (first author)
18. Socio-economic determinants and wife battering in rural Bangladesh, 1994 (a paper prepared in
the regional conference on intra-familial Violence against women in Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
19. Contraceptive sale through Shasthyo Shebikas in RDP-PHC area: Problems and Prospects, 1994 (co-
author)
20. Vaccination coverage survey in WHDP-EPI facilitation areas, 1994 (co-author)
21. An exploratory study on sexually transmitted disease in Bangladesh, 1994 (co-author)
22. BRAC's Program Organizers Problems: A Critical Assessment, 1994 (first author)
23. Background characteristics of mothers with stillbirths in WHDP, 1994 (first author)
24. Perceptions of mother about maternal health care and their utilization of health services in WHDP,
1994 (first author)
25. An assessment of Community based TB control program, 1993 (co-author)
26. Women, Workload and WHDP: Are Women Overburdened? 1993 (first author)
27. Monitoring on updating of registers related to births and deaths, 1993 (first author)
28. Monitoring on birth and death recording activities in WHDP, 1993 (first author)
29. Assessment on Mohila Shava meetings of WHDP, 1992 (first author)
30. Monitoring on EPI centres in three regions of Women's Health and Development Program, 1992
(first author)

Professional Activities

Key note and plenary speakers in major conferences - Women Deliver, Global Maternal Health
Conference, Global Maternal and Newborn Health Conferences, International Congress in Nutrition,
Women's Forum, Maternal and Child Nutrition, Asia Pacific Conference on Sexual and
 Reproductive Health and many at global, regional and national levels

Fellowship/Award

GSK-Save the Children Health Innovation Award for Manoshi 2014

The Woman of Distinction Award 2011 by NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NGO CSW, 2011
New York
D.K. Agencies India’s award for the best Australian doctoral thesis on an Asian subject 2005
Asian Studies Association of Australia's Presidents' Prize for the best thesis on Asian topic 2004
The 2003 University Research Medal Edith Cowan University 2003
The 2003 Faculty Research Medal Edith Cowan University 2003
International Post Graduate Research Fellowship 2000-03
Edith Cowan University Fellowship
BRAC Study Grant for MPH 1996-97
Bangladesh Government Scholarship 1977-82

Editorial Support

Former Section Editor, Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, ICDDR,B, Bangladesh
Membership

Current membership to various Organizations/Institutes

International
1. Vice-Chair, Scientific Committee, UN Food System Summit 2021, United Nations, New York, USA
2. Member, Board of Directors, Global alliance for Improved Nutrition, Geneva, Switzerland
3. Member, Strategic Committee, Ahimsa Renaissance Think Tank, Ahimsha Fund, Lyon, France
4. Member, Advisory Committee, Simprints, Cambridge, UK
5. Member, Academic, Research and Training Institutes, The Partnership of the Maternal, Neonatal
and Child Health, Geneva
6. Member, External Advisory Group on Integration of Wasting Treatment into Routine Health
Systems, Results for Development, Washington DC, USA
7. Member, External Advisory Committee, International Health and Tropical Medicine, Oxford University,
Oxford, UK
8. Member, Guideline Development committee, SRHR and Self Care, WHO. Geneva, Switzerland
9. Member, Advisory Committee, Social Innovations on Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine, London, UK
10. Member, Harvard Alumni Network, USA
11. Member, Edith Cowan University Alumni Network, Australia

National
1. Member, Advisory Committee, BIRTAN, Ministry of Agriculture
2. Member, Academic Constituency, Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Bangladesh
3. Member, Obstetric and Gynaecological Association of Bangladesh, Bangladesh
4. Member, Bangladesh Public Health association, Bangladesh
5. Member, Executive Committee, White Ribbon Alliance, Bangladesh
6. Member, Bangladesh Urban Health Network.

Previous membership to various Organizations/Institutes

1. Member, External Evaluation Reference Group and Academic, Research and Training Constituency, The
Partnership for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, Geneva, Switzerland
2. Co-Chair, UHC2030 Alliance, Fragile State Working Group, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
3. Member, Steering Group, BMS Campaign, London
4. Member, Steering Committee, Vaccine Initiative Strategy , GAVI, Geneva
5. Member, Civil Society Group, Health Nutrition and Population, The World Bank Group
6. Advisor, Steering Committee, The Woman Trial (World Maternal Antifibrinolytic Trial), London School
of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
7. Member, Inter-coordination Committee (ICC) for Vaccine, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
8. Member, Technical Committee, Grameen Veolia Water Ltd, Bangladesh
9. Member, SEAPIN, World Health Organization
10. Member, Technical Group, BIRTAN, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh
11. Member, Technical Advisory Board, Bangladesh Agriculture University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
12. Technical Advisory Committee member in “Nutrition, Health and Demographic Survey of
Bangladesh-2011, Dhaka University, Bangladesh
13. Member, Visioning Exercise Group and Task Team, Global SUN Movement
14. Advisor, Maternal Health Task Force, Engender Health, USA
15. Board Member (Alternate), The Partnership for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, WHO, Geneva
16. Board Member, The Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research, Ottawa, Canada
17. Advisory Committee, Air-bel Center, International Rescue Committee, NY, USA
18. Member, Canadian International Society on Health, Ottawa, Canada
19. Member, Healthy Newborn Network
20. Member, Innovia Fellows, the Netherlands

Areas of interests

1. Sexual Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health

2. Nutrition
3. Early Childhood Development
4. NCDs and Mental Health
5. Urban Health
6. Sexuality, Violence and Health
7. Fragile State, Humanitarian Crisis and Health
8. Gender, Equity and Health
9. Health System
10. Research Methodology

Referees

On request