Image of Rifat Atun, MD, BS

Rifat Atun, M.B.,B.S.

Vice Dean for Non-Degree Education and Innovation, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Faculty Lead- International Health Care Systems, Harvard Medical School
Professor of Global Health Systems, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dr Rifat Atun is Professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University and the Faculty Chair for the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program.

From 2006- to 2013, Dr Atun was Professor of International Health Management and Head of the Health Management Group at Imperial College London. From 2008 to 2012 he served as a member of the Executive Management Team of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as the Director of Strategy, Performance and Evaluation Cluster, where he chaired the panel that oversaw investments of around $4billion each year in more than 100 countries.

Dr Atun has published more than 400 papers in leading journals including the Lancet, NEJM, Academy of Management Journal, Lancet Global Health, Lancet Infectious Diseases, Lancet Oncology, and Lancet Psychiatry and PLoS Medicine. He has led or has been a commissioner in 12 Lancet Commissions and was a co-author and member of the Advisory Committee for the Editors for Disease Control Priorities (DCP) 3. In 2020, he was recognized by the Web of Science as one of the World’s Highly Cited Researchers.

Prof. Atun has worked with more than 30 governments globally and with the World Bank, World Health Organization, and the UK Department for International Development (DfID) to design, implement and evaluate health system reform initiatives. In 1999-2006 he was a member of the UK DfID Resource Centre for Health Systems.

Dr Atun has led executive education programs and undertaken assignments for major organizations including Novartis, Medtronic, GSK, Pfizer Inc., the Vodafone Group, and Hofmann-La Roche.

Professor Atun’s research has two major strands. The first examines health systems performance and how design and implementation of health system reforms impact on outcomes. The second strand of research explores adoption and diffusion of innovations in health systems (e.g. new health technologies, disease control programmes, and primary healthcare reforms), and innovative financing in global health. Prof. Atun is a co-Investigator and the joint lead for the innovation work stream at the National Centre for Infection Prevention and Management at Imperial College.

He is also a co-Investigator and the Theme Lead for ‘Organisational Change, Health Economics and Evaluation’ at the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit for Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection.

The Association of Socioeconomic Status With Hypertension in 76 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
Authors: Authors: Kirschbaum TK, Sudharsanan N, Manne-Goehler J, De Neve JW, Lemp JM, Theilmann M, Marcus ME, Ebert C, Chen S, Yoosefi M, Sibai AM, Rouhifard M, Moghaddam SS, Mayige MT, Martins JS, Lunet N, Jorgensen JMA, Houehanou C, Farzadfar F, Damasceno A, Bovet P, Bahendeka SK, Aryal KK, Andall-Brereton G, Davies JI, Atun R, Vollmer S, Bärnighausen T, Jaacks LM, Geldsetzer P.
J Am Coll Cardiol
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Which countries need COVID-19 vaccines the most? Development of a prioritisation tool.
Authors: Authors: Jain V, Atun R, Hansen P, Lorgelly P.
BMC Public Health
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Survival from five common cancers in Georgia, 2015-2019 (CONCORD).
Authors: Authors: Matz M, Gamkrelidze A, Mebonia N, Kereselidze M, Kazanjan K, Zhizhilashvili S, Atun R, Coleman MP, Allemani C.
Cancer Epidemiol
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Health Insurance Coverage In Low- And Middle-Income Countries Remains Far From The Goal Of Universal Coverage.
Authors: Authors: Chen S, Geldsetzer P, Chen Q, Moshabela M, Jiao L, Ogbuoji O, Sie A, Atun R, Bärnighausen T.
Health Aff (Millwood)
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Incidence and prevalence of type 1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis in children and adolescents (0-19 years) in Thailand (2015-2020): A nationwide population-based study.
Authors: Authors: Rittiphairoj T, Owais M, Ward ZJ, Reddy CL, Yeh JM, Atun R.
Lancet Reg Health West Pac
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Digital Education for Health Professionals: An Evidence Map, Conceptual Framework, and Research Agenda.
Authors: Authors: Tudor Car L, Poon S, Kyaw BM, Cook DA, Ward V, Atun R, Majeed A, Johnston J, van der Kleij RMJJ, Molokhia M, V Wangenheim F, Lupton M, Chavannes N, Ajuebor O, Prober CG, Car J.
J Med Internet Res
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Use of statins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in 41 low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study of nationally representative, individual-level data.
Authors: Authors: Marcus ME, Manne-Goehler J, Theilmann M, Farzadfar F, Moghaddam SS, Keykhaei M, Hajebi A, Tschida S, Lemp JM, Aryal KK, Dunn M, Houehanou C, Bahendeka S, Rohloff P, Atun R, Bärnighausen TW, Geldsetzer P, Ramirez-Zea M, Chopra V, Heisler M, Davies JI, Huffman MD, Vollmer S, Flood D.
Lancet Glob Health
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Strengthening Health Systems To Face Pandemics: Subnational Policy Responses To COVID-19 In Latin America.
Authors: Authors: Knaul FM, Touchton MM, Arreola-Ornelas H, Calderon-Anyosa R, Otero-Bahamón S, Hummel C, Pérez-Cruz P, Porteny T, Patino F, Atun R, Garcia PJ, Insua J, Mendez O, Undurraga E, Boulding C, Nelson-Nuñez J, Velasco Guachalla VX, Sanchez-Talanquer M.
Health Aff (Millwood)
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The true global disease burden of mental illness: still elusive.
Authors: Authors: Vigo D, Jones L, Atun R, Thornicroft G.
Lancet Psychiatry
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Global estimates of paediatric tuberculosis incidence in 2013-19: a mathematical modelling analysis.
Authors: Authors: Yerramsetti S, Cohen T, Atun R, Menzies NA.
Lancet Glob Health
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