Dr. Raheema Abdul Raheem is a public health researcher, academic leader, and higher education administrator currently serving as the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at The Maldives National University (MNU). She previously served as the Dean of Research and has played a significant role in strengthening research culture, institutional collaboration, ethics governance, and research funding initiatives within the university.

She obtained her PhD in Public Health from Curtin University, Australia, in 2014, with research focusing on postnatal depression, infant feeding practices, and infant growth. She also holds a Master of Public Health from Curtin University and a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Life Sciences) from Flinders University, Australia.

Dr. Raheema has led and contributed to numerous national and international research initiatives in public health, epidemiology, health systems, communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and climate-related health research. Her work includes studies on COVID-19 sero-epidemiology, leprosy elimination strategies, non-communicable diseases, migration, climate resilience, and population health in the Maldives.

Her research profile demonstrates active collaboration in multidisciplinary research, research management, ethics review, and evidence-based policy development.

• Research Identifiers

  • ORCID iD:  ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5444-385X
  • Web of Science ResearcherID: Will update soon..

• Co-supervised five PhD candidates in the areas of public health, epidemiology, health systems, and community health research
• Supervised and co-supervised more than ten Master’s degree students in public health and related health science disciplines
• Provided academic mentorship for undergraduate and postgraduate research projects at The Maldives National University
• Guided student research in areas including maternal and child health, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, public health policy, and population health studies
• Supported interdisciplinary and collaborative research initiatives involving national and international partners

Selected Publications (ORCID 0000-0001-5444-385X)

• Maekawa, M., Raheem, R.A., Khalid, A., et al. (2025). Motivations for Voluntary Migration to Hulhumalé in the Context of Climate Change. Journal of Disaster Research. DOI: 10.20965/jdr.2025.p0025

• Maekawa, M., Raheem, R.A., Khalid, A., et al. (2025). Societal Context of Observed Differences in Perceptions Regarding Climate Change Impacts in the Maldives. Sustainability. DOI: 10.3390/su17062495

• Raheema Abdul Raheem et al. (2025). Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines Against Delta Variant: The Case of the Maldives. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/10105395251325627

• • Abdul-Raheem, R. et al. (2024). A sero-epidemiological study after two waves of the COVID-19 epidemic. Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology. DOI: 10.12932/ap-040721-1177

  • Strain, T., Flaxman, S., Guthold, R., et al. including Raheem, R.A. (2024). Global trends in insufficient physical activity (2000–2022). The Lancet Global Health. DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00150-5

• Naila, A., Raheem, R.A., Hassan, R., et al. (2022). Single use plastic usage in the Maldives: Knowledge, practice and attitude. Research Square. DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2138273/v1

• Moosa, S., Raheem, R.A., et al. (2022). Social value orientation and vaccine uptake during COVID-19. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. DOI: 10.1057/s41599-022-01487-9

• Naila, A., Raheem, R.A., Ismail, A.S. (2022). Fatty acid composition in local and international food products in Maldives. Current Nutrition & Food Science. DOI: 10.2174/1573401317666210830100532

• Moosa, S., Riyaz, A., Raheem, R.A., et al. (2021). Social value orientations and institutional trust during COVID-19. Cosmopolitan Civil Societies. DOI: 10.5130/ccs.v13.i2.7548

• Afzal, I., Raheem, R.A., et al. (2021). Contact tracing for COVID-19 containment in Maldives. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/1010539520956447

• Binns, C. et al. including Raheem, R.A. (2020). Guidelines for complementary feeding in Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/1010539520931328

• • Abdul Raheem, R., Chih, H.J., Binns, C.W. (2019). Maternal depression and breastfeeding practices in the Maldives. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/1010539519836531

• Abdul Raheem, R., et al. (2018). Factors associated with maternal depression in the Maldives. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/1010539518756380

• Binns, C. et al. including Raheem, R.A. (2018). Infant feeding guidelines for Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/1010539518809823

• • Raheem, R.A., Binns, C.W., Chih, H.J. (2017). Protective effects of breastfeeding against infections and diarrhoea. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13480

• • Raheem, R.A., Binns, C.W., et al. (2014). Prelacteal feeding practices in Maldives. Breastfeeding Medicine. DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2014.0028

• • Raheem, R.A. (2013). Introduction of solid foods to infants in the Maldives. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism

• Abdulraheem, R., Binns, C.W. (2007). Infant feeding practices in the Maldives. Public Health Nutrition. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980007223882 

Additional Scholarly Contributions

Dr. Raheema Abdul Raheem’s ORCID profile includes contributions in:

• Public health and epidemiology
• Climate change and migration studies
• COVID-19 and population health research
• Maternal and child health
• Health systems and policy research
• Community resilience and sustainability studies

A full and updated list of publications is available through her ORCID profile.

• Areas of Interest

  • Public health
  • Epidemiology
  • Maternal and child health
  • Health systems research
  • Communicable and non-communicable diseases
  • Public health policy and awareness
  • Climate change and population resilience
  • Community health research
  • Research management and ethics

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  Teaching Interests

  • Public health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health promotion
  • Research methodology
  • Biostatistics
  • Community health
  • Health policy and management
  • Evidence-based healthcare

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  Research Work / Grants

  Major Research Projects

  • Strategic Support for Accreditation of Programs and Internationalization at South Asian Higher Education Institutes (SSAPI) (2021–2023)
  • Endgame Strategy for Leprosy in the Maldives
  • Maldives STEPS Survey 2020–2021
  • Trans-fat Survey – Maldives
  • Use of Wolbachia to Control Dengue
  • Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis Research
  • COVID-19 Sero-epidemiological Investigations in the Maldives

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  Editorial Activities

  Editorial Board Memberships

  • Editor-in-Chief, Maldives National Journal of Research (MNJR)
  • Editorial Board Member, Discover Public Health

  Committee Leadership and Memberships

  • Chair, MNU Ethics Committee
  • Chair, Research Grants Committee
  • Chair, Book Writing Grants Committee
  • Chair, Higher Degrees Committee
  • Chair, Library Committee
  • Member, Maldives Tertiary and Advanced Level Grants Initiative (MTAGI) Committee
  • Member, National Research Grants Council
  • Member, Institutional Research and Academic Development Committees

   

• Organizer and Chair of Theveli Conference, The Maldives National University
• General Chair and Technical Committee Member for ICEST – International Conference on Innovations in Engineering, Science and Technology for Sustainable Development, The Maldives National University
• Technical committee member and contributor to IEEE international conferences in engineering, computing, and emerging technologies
• Organizer and contributor to other national conferences under The Maldives National University