Afifa Tahzeeba Waheed, a prominent legal professional based in New York City specializing in Healthcare and Intellectual Property Law, is making significant strides in both her field and global public health advocacy.
Trained as a barrister at Lincoln’s Inn, she now focuses on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, particularly maternal health.
In her recent article for the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) UK, Waheed underscores AI's transformative potential in healthcare, highlighting its role in enhancing access to obstetric care in rural areas through AI-enabled ultrasound technology.
She believes that AI can improve maternal healthcare in both urban and rural Bangladesh, provided that local healthcare workers, community representatives, policymakers, and AI developers collaborate effectively.
Waheed stresses the necessity of enacting comprehensive Health Privacy or Data Protection Laws in Bangladesh before AI can be responsibly integrated into the healthcare system.
While acknowledging the progress made by the European Union with the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, she notes that both the US and Bangladesh still need specific regulations for AI.
A dedicated advocate for student health, Waheed is also involved in developing legal frameworks to support the mental and physical well-being of students in Bangladesh. She organizes workshops to raise awareness about student health and aims to partner with the Bangladeshi government and local agencies to promote these initiatives.
Her impressive background includes research at Duke University, representing clients in healthcare matters in NYC, assisting in COVID-19 immunity litigation, and advising on Rohingya repatriation.
She also engages with the University of Oxford and regularly contributes to leading publications.
Waheed's commitment to health equity extends to her family’s NGO, which focuses on health issues in Bangladesh.
Her father, ASM Waheeduzzaman, has authored books on student health, and her mother, Ivy Khan Waheed, has supported these efforts through various educational programs.
For collaboration or inquiries, Waheed can be reached at [email protected]
