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Dr. Jalal Mohammed
Keynote Speaker
Dr Jalal Mohammed is an award-winning academic, health management and leadership specialist and consultant with nearly two decades of experience in the higher education and public health sectors. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of Canterbury, where he has held this position since January 2023. Before this role, Jalal served as the Interim Head of the Department of Public Health at Auckland University of Technology. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Fiji. He is an Executive Member of the Aotearoa Fiji Research Collective and Founder and Convenor of the Pacific Online Learning and Teaching Network, a community of practitioners across the Pacific committed to developing online learning and teaching in the region. He also serves on the National Council of the Public Health Association of New Zealand.
As a recognised leader in health education and health management, Jalal has made significant contributions to international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). His work includes advising on major education and health projects across the Pacific region and globally, focusing on strengthening health systems, improving health equity, and fostering innovation in public health strategies. Jalal has been recognised for his contributions to health management and leadership through the prestigious ACHSM-Aotearoa Silver Fern Award.
Jalal has also made significant contributions to public health and health management education and research. He has secured several research grants (approx. NZD 5.2 million) to investigate pressing public health issues, particularly for Pacific populations. Jalal’s commitment to teaching has earned him numerous accolades, including Faculty Teaching Awards and a Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award. He is passionate about integrating technology into education to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
Dr. dr. Zuhrah Taufiqa, M.Biomed.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. dr. Zuhrah Taufiqa, M.Biomed, is a medical doctor specializing in nutrition and a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. She completed her Doctor of Nutrition degree at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, where she strengthened her expertise in clinical nutrition, functional foods, and community-based health research. Her research experience reflects a strong commitment to utilizing local resources for health innovation. In 2015–2016, she was involved in the “Gambier Catechin Project,” which investigated the potential effects of gambier-derived catechins using an Alzheimer’s rat model. This study contributed to understanding the neuroprotective properties of natural bioactive compounds.
From 2020 to 2022, she participated in the “Dadiah Project,” focusing on improving maternal nutrition among pregnant women in West Sumatra. The project explored the nutritional and probiotic benefits of dadiah, a traditional fermented buffalo milk product, aiming to enhance maternal and fetal health through culturally relevant dietary interventions. In 2024, she contributed to the “Filih Project,” an innovation involving finger food made from Bilih Fish, an endemic species from West Sumatra. This initiative aimed to develop nutritious complementary feeding options for infants and young children using locally sourced ingredients. Additionally, Dr. Zuhrah contributed to the “Next-Gen Oral Care” project, developing Gambir Gum bioactive compounds as natural antimicrobial agents. She was also involved in formulating antimicrobial effervescent tablets from lime peel extract and tamarind, designed as natural decontaminants for fruits and vegetables in Indonesia. Through her academic and research work, she continues to promote sustainable, locally based solutions in nutrition and health.
Dr. Anushia Inthiran
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Anushia Inthiran is a Senior Lecturer Above the Bar at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Her research interests are in the areas of health information seeking and human computer information retrieval.
Dr. Inthiran has led external research grants; Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (Malaysia), Health Research Council New Zealand (NZ) and Nicholas Tarling Charitable Trust -New Zealand Asian Studies Society (NZ). She has published in leading information systems conferences and medical journals.
Prof. Dr. Retneswari Masilamani
Planary Speaker
Prof. Dr. Retneswari Masilamani is a senior public health physician and academic with extensive experience in occupational and environmental health, public health leadership, and medical education. She is currently a Clinical Professor at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia, where she serves as Head of the Master of Medical Science in Public Health programme and contributes actively to accreditation, curriculum development, and quality assurance processes.
She holds an MBBS from the University of Madras, a Master of Medicine in Occupational Medicine from the National University of Singapore, and a PhD from the University of Malaya. Prof. Dr. Retneswari is a registered specialist in Occupational Medicine and a Fellow of several prestigious professional bodies, including the Royal College of Physicians (Ireland) and the Academy of Medicine Malaysia.
Previously, she held senior academic and leadership roles at the University of Malaya and the Ministry of Health Malaysia, where she led national programmes in occupational health, environmental health, and public health management. She also played a key role in establishing Malaysia’s first Occupational Medicine Clinic within a teaching hospital.
An active researcher and speaker, Prof. Dr. Retneswari has published widely in high-impact journals and contributed to international textbooks in occupational and public health. She is frequently invited to speak at regional and international conferences, bringing valuable insights into workplace wellbeing, mental health, and sustainable public health systems.
Dr. Muhammad Farrukh Habib
Planary Speaker
Dr. Muhammad Farrukh Habib is a distinguished public health professional and dental surgeon with a robust background in disease surveillance and health security. He currently serves as a Surveillance Officer for the IPC-IDSR Project under the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
With an MS in Public Health from AFPGMI NUMS and specialized training in Oral Surgery (MCPS), Dr. Habib bridges the gap between clinical excellence and systemic health governance. He has been a pivotal figure in strengthening Pakistan’s Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system, leading nationwide trainings, developing disease-specific risk profiles, and contributing to the IPC Guidelines 2025.
Beyond his technical roles, Dr. Habib is a prolific researcher and the Chief Editor of the Medzone Journal of Health Sciences. His academic contributions include over 30 published articles—including high-impact international research—and leadership roles at global forums such as the International Conference on Public Health (ICOPH) in Malaysia.
