Medical & Humanitarian Aid Director
World Federation of Hemophilia
Assad Haffar, MD, MSc
World Federation of Hemophilia
Assad Haffar is currently the Medical and Humanitarian Aid Director at the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) based in Montreal, Canada. Dr Haffar earned his MD at the University of Damascus in Damascus, Syria. He subsequently studied at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of LONDON, London, UK, for his Master of Science in occupational medicine and at the University of Environmental and Occupational Health in Kitakyushu City, Japan, for his Diploma in industrial health.
During his career at the International Labor Organization (ILO), Geneva, Switzerland (1990–1995), he coordinated a large program to improve occupational health services and workers education in selected Middle East countries.
Dr Haffar has worked as coordinator for several projects related to occupational health at the Montreal Re-Adaptation Institute and the McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Since Joining WFH in 2000, Dr Haffar has been involved in several activities, including twinning partnerships, symposia and workshops in the Middle East and African Region. In addition to leading the Humanitarian Aid Department responsible for the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program which is considered the largest global humanitarian aid program that channels clotting factor concentrates to countries where people with hemophilia have limited access to these products, Dr Haffar assisted many countries in the Middle East and African region in joining and becoming members of the WFH, in developing National Hemophilia Care Programs and in establishing the comprehensive care approach in different hemophilia treatment centers. Since becoming the WFH Medical Director in 2018, he designed and led many WFH medical activities.