Panel session 2

Navigating the Epidemiological Transition in Emerging Markets

Industry Sector: Global Health

We will explore innovative strategies for managing the epidemiological transition in emerging markets, where the shift from infectious diseases to chronic, non-communicable diseases presents unique challenges. Expert stakeholders from healthcare, policy, and development sectors will discuss approaches to strengthening health systems, addressing social determinants of health, and leveraging technology to combat the burden of diseases.

sylvana sinha | Founder, CEO & Chairman, Praava Health

Sylvana Quader Sinha is a founder, chair, and the CEO of Praava Health — Bangladesh’s 1st first and only one stop shop click-and-brick outpatient healthcare system, established with the mission of democratizing high-quality medical treatment in emerging and growth markets. She’s a widely-recognized authority on identifying and building resilient market-opening businesses in economies and sectors where potential has yet to be unlocked. Today, Praava serves more than 700K+ patients, bringing international standards and many quality healthcare firsts to Bangladesh. It is the nation’s fastest-growing healthcare brand and provides a clear model for improving healthcare for billions of people in emerging markets. Sinha is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the WEF’s UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency, and serves on the board of PATH.org. She is a graduate of Wellesley College, Columbia Law School, and Harvard’s Kennedy School. 

neel lakhani, mba | VP Innovation, Clinton Health Access Initiative

Neel Lakhani has over a decade of experience propelling strategic innovation across the global health organizations. During his 13-year CHAI tenure, Neel has been a leader in the Global Markets Team, negotiating agreements to accelerate access to top pharmaceutical products and developing innovative pricing that dramatically reduced the costs of essential health commodities. He currently leads CHAI’s Maximum Impact Incubator, which aims to scale the most highly cost-effective evidence-based interventions in public health. Neel is a Cornell University alumnus, holding an MBA and Master’s in Industrial and Labor Relations.

rifat atun, m.d. | Professor of Global Health Systems, Director of Health Systems Innovation Lab, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dr. Rifat Atun is Professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University and the Director of The Health System Innovation Lab. In 2015-2023 he was the Faculty Chair for the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program. He is a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Faculty and Member of the Harvard University Asia Center Steering Committee and Council.

Professor Atun is a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, and a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Fukushima University in Japan. In 2006-13, Dr. Atun was Professor of International Health Management and Head of the Health Management Group at Imperial College London. In 2008-12 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 120 countries.

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. 

Prof. Atun studied medicine at University of London as a Commonwealth Scholar. He subsequently completed his postgraduate medical studies and Master's in Business Administration at University of London and Imperial College London. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK), Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK).

Kasite Ugo-beke | mba class of 2025

Kasite Ugo-Beke is a second year MBA student at Harvard Business School. Prior to Harvard, she worked as a management consultant and undertook healthcare grassroots projects in various countries (Nigeria, Togo, South Africa, Israel and Portugal). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical-Biological engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she published research on medical devices.

pooja joshi | mpp/MBA class of 2026

Pooja Joshi is a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) student at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. Prior to Harvard, she has worked as a management consultant for Bain & Company and in public health across emerging markets. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain Scholar. In her spare time, she enjoys writing fiction, boxing, and singing Hindustani classical music.