Dr. Raheema Abdul Raheem is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at The Maldives National University and a public health researcher with over 20 years of experience in higher education and research leadership. She holds a PhD in Public Health and has published extensively in the fields of public health, epidemiology, maternal and child health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and population health. Her research has contributed to evidence-based public health policy and clinical and public health guidance, including work on infant feeding, COVID-19, leprosy elimination, and disease prevention strategies. Dr. Raheema has led numerous national and international research projects and continues to advance research, ethics, and academic collaboration in the Maldives.

Doctor of Philosophy | Curtin University | Western Australia, Australia | 2014
Master of Public Health | Curtin University | Western Australia, Australia | 2003
Bachelor of Health Sciences | Flinders University | South Australia, Australia | 1999

Epidemiology, Non communicable diseases, Communicable disease, Health Promotion, NTDs

SSAPI Project (Erasmus) – Project Manager from Maldives (2020-2024)
LRI Leprosy Endgame strategy for the Maldives (LRI) – Project manager and lead researcher from Maldives (2022-2023)
WHO STEPS Survey (WHO)- Lead Researcher (2020-2022)
Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis Survey (WHO)- Lead Researcher (2018-2019)
A rapid assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on children (UNICEF)- Lead Researcher (2021-2022)
Leprosy Perception Survey (WHO)Lead Researcher (2020-2021)

Epidemiology
Biostatistics
Health Promotion
Public Health Nutrition
Health Promotion Planning and Evaluation

5 students at PhD level (on-going)
2 students at PhD level (completed)
11 students at masters level (completed)

1. Raheem, R. A., Huda, A., et al. (2025). Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against Delta variant: The case of the Maldives. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 37(4), 366–370. DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/10105395251325627
2. Abdul-Raheem, R., Moosa, S., et al. (2024). A sero-epidemiological study after two waves of the COVID-19 epidemic. Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology, 42(3), 270–275.DOI: 10.12932/AP-040721-1177
3. Naila, A., Raheem, R. A., & Ismail, A. S. (2022). Fatty acid composition in local and international food products available in the Maldives. Current Nutrition & Food Science, 18(1), 82–89.DOI: 10.2174/1573401317666210830100532
4. Abdul Raheem, R., Binns, C. W., & Chih, H. J. 2017. Protective effects of breastfeeding against acute respiratory tract infections and diarrhoea: Findings of a cohort study. Journal of paediatrics and child health, 53(3), 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.13480
5. Abdul Raheem, R., Binns, C. W., Chih, H. J., & Sauer, K. 2014. Determinants of the introduction of prelacteal feeds in the Maldives. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 9(9), 473–478. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2014.0028
6. Abdul Raheem, R., Chih, H. J., & Binns, C. W. 2019. Maternal Depression and Breastfeeding Practices in the Maldives. Asia-Pacific journal of public health, 31(2), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539519836531
7. Abdul Raheem, R., Chih, H. J., & Binns, C. W. 2018. Factors Associated With Maternal Depression in the Maldives: A Prospective Cohort Study. Asia-Pacific journal of public health, 30(3), 244–251. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539518756380
8. Abdul Raheem, R., & Binns, C. W. 2007. The infant feeding practices of mothers in the Maldives. Public health nutrition, 10(5), 502–507. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980007223882
9.Afzal, I., Abdul Raheem, R., Rafeeq, N., & Moosa, S. 2021. Contact Tracing for Containment of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the Early Phase of the Epidemic in the Maldives. Asia-Pacific journal of public health, 33(1), 131–133. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539520956447
10. Binns, C., Lee, M. K., Kagawa, M., Low, W. Y., Scott, J., Lee, A., Zerfas, A., Maycock, B., Qiu, L., Yusuff, A., Abdul Raheem, R., Hamid, S., Hokama, T., Hairi, N. N., Lin, J. L., Bulgiba, A., Khoo, E. M., Shakya, P., Dahlui, M., & Karunathilake, I. 2018. Infant Feeding Guidelines for the Asia Pacific Region. Asia-Pacific journal of public health, 1010539518809823. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539518809823
11. Binns, C., Lee, M. K., Yun Low, W., Baker, P., Bulgiba, A., Dahlui, M., Thuy Duong, D. T., Guldan, G., Hairi, N., Hokama, T., Kagawa, M., Karunathilake, I., Abdul Majid, H., Maycock, B., Nanishi, K., Qiu, L., Abdul Raheem, R., Scott, J., & Tang, L. 2020. Guidelines for Complementary Feeding of Infants in the Asia Pacific Region: APACPH Public Health Nutrition Group. Asia-Pacific journal of public health, 32(4), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539520931328

Editor-in-Chief, Maldives National Journal of Research (MNJR)
Editorial Board Member, Discover Public Health
Chair, MNU Ethics Committee
Chair, Research Grants Committee
Chair, Book Writing Grants Committee
Chair, Higher Degrees Committee
Chair, Library Committee
Member, Institutional Research and Academic Development Committees

Raheem RA, Binns CW. (2005). Infant feeding practices of Maldivian mothers. Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. Taipei, Taiwan-paper (young researcher award winning paper)
Raheem RA, Binns CW. (2005). Breastfeeding attitude and knowledge of Maldivian mothers. Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. Taipei, Taiwan-paper
Raheem RA, Binns CW, Chih HJ. (2012). Perinatal depression and breastfeeding outcome. The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation. Trieste, Italy-Poster
Raheem RA, Binns CW, Chih HJ. (2012). First Feeds given to Infants in the Maldives. Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. Colombo, Sri Lanka-Poster
Raheem RA, Binns CW, Chih HJ. (2013). Perinatal depression and breastfeeding outcome. Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute Conference. Western Australia-Paper
Raheem RA, Shiruhana, A. Majeed, N. (2018). Factors associated with Diabetes Mellitus in Maldivian adults. Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. Kota- Kinbalu, Malaysia- Paper
Naila, A, Abdul Raheem, R, Waheed, F. (2018). Iodine deficiency disorder cases identified from the Maldives (PO0010UC). Presented at 50th APACPH conference (golden jubilee), Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia-Poster
Keynote: Raheem RA. (2015).Determinants of the First Feeds Given to Infants. Conference on Nutrition for the first 1000 days of the infant, Male’, Maldives- Paper

Member, Maldives Tertiary and Advanced Level Grants Initiative (MTAGI) Committee
Member, National Research Grants 

Council of MNU Council 

Kaafu Atoll Award given at Maafushi by Kaafu Atoll Council for completion of PhD with publication (2016)
President’s Award, Male’, Maldives for completion of PhD with publication (2015)
Star Award for completion of Doctor of Philosophy under Australian Awards (2013)
Australian Leadership Award and scholarship, Australian Awards, Australia (2009)
Young Researcher Award, Taipei, Taiwan. Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (2005)
Vice Chancellor’s Award, Curtin University, Australia (2004)

Carried out health checkup programs for different islnds (2021-2023)
Carried out research workshops for MNDF, MPS, IGMH (2014- 2023)
Developed all the online forms for RRT and contact tracing at the start of COVID-19 in the Maldives (March 2020)
Did the analysis and prepare the presentations to be taken to Muliyaage everyday during the start of COVID-19 (2020)
Did the analysis for TAG decisions during COVID-19 (2020-2021)
Carried out health education sessions for schools and various islands (2005-2010)

English and Dhivehi

Initiated Theveli International Conference and Convened all six Theveli Conferences held by The Maldives National University between 2017 and 2023. Organising Committee Member of the 2nd International Halal Management Conference (2018) and the IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Communications, Control, and Computing for Engineering (ICECCME) in 2022 and 2023. S
Convener of the first International Conference on Sustainable and Resilient Islands (ICSRI) Initiated startup and incubation programs at The Maldives National University