Prof. Hasan Abbas Zaheer

M.B.B.S., M.B.A., Ph.D., Former Project Director & National Coordinator,
Safe Blood Transfusion Programme,
Ministry of National Health Services, Government of Pakistan


Prof. Zaheer graduated from Rawalpindi Medical College and did his Ph.D. (Hematology) from University of London, UK. He also has an MBA in Healthcare Management and is a Fellow of the Pakistan College of Pathologists.

He has recently retired from government after 35 years of service. His last assignments included National Coordinator and Project Director, Safe Blood Transfusion Programme, Pakistan. He was also the Professor of Pathology and Head of Pathology Department & Blood Transfusion Services, PIMS (SZAB Medical University), Islamabad. In addition, he was also the Chairman, Islamabad Blood Transfusion Authority. All these positions were under the auspices of the Ministry of National Health Services, Government of Pakistan. Earlier, he served (2007-10) with distinction as the National Programme Manager, National AIDS Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Pakistan. Currently, he is Adviser on Health in the Pakistan Red Crescent Society,

Prof. Zaheer, as the pioneer of Pakistan’s national blood transfusion programme, laid a solid foundation for the establishment of a nationally coordinated blood transfusion service in Pakistan. Since the last ten years (2010-20) he has been closely involved in, led and steered the development of the national policies on Health, HIV, Hepatitis, Blood Transfusion and Voluntary Donors and the formulation of the national strategic frameworks on HIV, Hepatitis and Blood Transfusion. He also has extensive experience of conceiving and developing public sector health projects and has an impressive record of successfully conducting bi-lateral and multi-lateral negotiations with key international partners. His record of resource mobilization is remarkable including through competitive process. Proposal development is one of his key skills.

Prof. Zaheer is an active member of national, regional and international blood transfusion societies, has published extensively and is 'Reviewer' in many international journals. He is a regular guest speaker in international meetings and has represented Pakistan at international foras including the UN, ECO, ISBT, AABB, AATM, SAARC etc.

Prof. Zaheer has more than 20 years’ experience of teaching postgraduate medical and allied students and has supervised M.Phil and Ph.D. students. His current research activities aim to generate and promote the use of evidence in policy and practice relating to strengthening the transfusion sector in Pakistan. His focus of research areas are transfusion medicine regulation, biovigilance, biosafety and promotion of voluntary blood donations. His research in the field of molecular biology, transfusion medicine and public health has been published in leading medical journals (Book / Monologs etc. 62, Scientific papers 81, Abstracts 58 with a Total Impact Factor score of 171.58).