Prof. Khalid Al Ansari MD, FRCP-C, FAAP (PEM) is the inaugural Chairman of the Sidra Medicine Emergency Department that sees more than 110,000 children under the age of 18 years annually, including those seen as a level 1 Trauma Center: More than 1000 Tier 1 and 2 patients annually. Prof. Al Ansari is the founder of National Poison Center and the founder of the Child Advocacy Program in Qatar. He is also the Chairman of the Sidra wide Hospital Resuscitation Program.

Prof. Al Ansari's extensive expertise in Emergency Medicine, Acute Medical Care has helped him transform the delivery of Pediatric Emergency services to patients in Qatar. He is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at Weil Cornell Medical College-Qatar and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Qatar University. His research interest are in emergency respiratory diseases, gastroenteritis, pediatric sedation and child abuse in Qatar. He is the Chairman of IRB Qatar Biomedical Bank, Chairman of MOPH National Child Protection Committee and member of National Disaster Committee.

Dr. Brisseau is a cutting edge pediatric general and thoracic surgeon as well as an acclaimed surgical educator. He is a board certified general surgeon as well as a pediatric surgeon. These dual boards are held in two countries , USA and Canada. Having practiced in both countries he brings this clinical expertise to Doha at the Sidra Medical and Research Center. Pediatric surgeons care for the most vulnerable members in our society. They care for children born with congenital anomalies as well as those with cancer. Anatomically pediatric surgeons care for the complete child. These include problems of the head and neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis as well as soft tissues. Along with a wealth of broad clinical experience,

Dr. Brisseau is also an advanced minimally invasive surgeon and an expert in pediatric trauma. Besides his clinical expertise Dr. Brisseau is an awarded medical educator having developed programs in a variety of areas including simulation and distance education. His academic area of research is in medical education.

Dr. Bouthayna Al-Tamimi is an award-winning Consultant Orthodontist specialising in complex orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics. She was honoured with the prestigious Qatar Foundation Excellence Award by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser for her contributions to healthcare and leadership in Qatar. A graduate of HEC Paris, she holds an Executive MBA with distinction.

With 20 years of training and experience in the United Kingdom, Dr. Al-Tamimi completed her undergraduate and postgraduate training at King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, and Queen Mary’s Hospital, obtaining both a Master’s in Orthodontics and Membership in Orthodontics (MOrth) from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. She is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and recipient of the Ronald Gain Prize.

Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, Dr. Al-Tamimi worked as a Cleft and Craniofacial Fellow at Great Ormond Street Hospital London and completed a rigorous Consultant program at the Eastman Dental Institute and Kingston Hospital.

Since joining Sidra Medicine in 2021, Dr. Al-Tamimi has led the orthodontic care of children with cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, and other facial anomalies. She is especially focused on establishing Sidra as a centre of excellence for cleft and craniofacial care.

Her experience includes managing severe malocclusions, jaw deformities, craniofacial anomalies, cleft lip and palate, and sleep apnoea. She also manages patients requiring orthognathic surgery and distraction osteogenesis. She takes the utmost care to make patients and their families feel at ease and has a friendly approach tailoring treatment to individual needs and expectations.
Dr. Al-Tamimi has published in many peer-reviewed journals and has lectured nationally and internationally.

Dr. Maher Salem, Pharm.D, BCPS, PMP, CPHQ, is currently the head of Inpatient and Emergency pharmacy services at Sidra Medicine. He has over 20 years of Pharmacy clinical, operational and leadership experience. He moved from the United States to Qatar back in 2018 to join Sidra Pediatric Critical Care clinical pharmacy team. He holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from ISU University beside multiple specialty board certifications in Clinical pharmacy, Projects Management and Healthcare quality.

He is a member on the advisory board of UDST Pharmacy Technology program and sets on multiple high-level committees and Work groups at Sidra Medicine.

Dr. Nasser A. A. Haidar MRCP (UK), ABMS, KSUF, PCCM, M. Med Education is a Senior Consultant and Education Lead at PECs HGH-HMC, Qatar. He is also Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine in University of Science and Technology in Sana'a, Clinical Associate Professor in Qatar University and formerly CEO of the University of Science and Technology Hospital, UST, Sana'a. He has chaired several committees, published several articles, and Associate Editor.

He has been honored a national prize for the best medical research and ideal resident during postgraduate studies. He is a director, Instructor, and shared in constructing several medical courses, participated in several international medical conferences. Dr. Nasser is a Co-chair of Scientific Committee of QPEM and ISPCAN Qatar.

Dr. Soni graduated from the Government Medical College, Bellary, India in 1991. He underwent postgraduate training in Pediatrics at M.S. University, Baroda, India where he pursued three years of residency programme working in various Paediatric sub-specialities and Neonatology leading to MD in Pediatrics in 1997. Dr. Soni subsequently passed Diplomate of National Board Examinations in 1999 leading to DNB in Pediatrics. Dr. Soni subsequently pursued Senior Residency Programme at the prestigious institution JIPMER in South India consolidating his clinical experience in PICU & Level 3 NICU.

Dr. Soni moved to UK in 1999 to pursue advanced training in Neonatology working in several Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Units including Middleborough, Cambridge, Newport, Cardiff. He completed Neonatal sub-speciality grid training programme leading to CCT in Pediatrics and CCT in Neonatology. He worked as Consultant Neonatologist for 10 years in East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre). During this period, he was instrumental in consolidation of Level 3 NICU services. Dr Soni moved to Sidra Medicine in March 2018. He is currently the medical lead for Neonatal Respiratory Services, Active member of Neonatal Hemodynamic team undertaking bedside functional echocardiography, Contributing to Neonatal teaching programme through lectures, workshops, and simulation sessions for various practical neonatal skills. Whilst being in Sidra, Dr Soni has contributed to different academic work streams that led to international poster Presentations in scientific meetings and more than 5 publications in peer reviewed journals. Currently Dr Soni is working on phased replacement of Neonatal Ventilators.

Dr. Osamah Alwalid is a Consultant Radiologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, specializing in pediatric imaging. He earned his medical degree from China Medical University, followed by a Master's and PhD in Medical Imaging & Nuclear Medicine from HUST, and completed his pediatric imaging fellowship at Sidra Medicine.
Dr. Alwalid holds prestigious international credentials, including FRCR (UK), EDiR, and the Arab Board in Radiology & Medical Imaging.

As an active educator and researcher, his primary academic interests focus on neuroimaging in pediatric neurometabolic disorders and brain malformations, artificial intelligence applications in radiology, and advancements in radiology education. He has authored numerous impactful, peer-reviewed publications and actively contributes to clinical education across Qatar.

Dr. Amjad Tonbari is a Specialist in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Sidra Medicine, where he has been practicing since 2018. He provides comprehensive care for children with acute and chronic conditions, with a strong focus on high-acuity pediatric emergency presentations. He works closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe, timely, and effective management of critically ill children. Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, Dr. Tonbari completed his pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital, Damascus University, gaining broad exposure across pediatric subspecialties. He is actively involved in quality improvement initiatives, patient safety programs, and evidence-based practice, and contributes to clinical auditing and research aimed at improving outcomes in pediatric emergency care.

Dr. Rachdan is an Ophthalmic Surgeon at Sidra Medicine with a wide clinical experience complemented with a dual Subspecialty Fellowship Training in Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Hospital for Sick Children, “Sick Kids”, Toronto, Canada) and Cornea and Anterior Segments at (Birmingham, United Kingdom).Dr. Rachdan performed a large number of various ophthalmic surgical procedures in all subspecialties for children and adults, published papers in both Basic Science and clinical Ophthalmology, some of which are listed below and gave lectures and presented posters in international meetings.

Dr. Rachdan joined Sidra in 2018 after working as Consultant Pediatric Ophthalmologist and Corneal Surgeon at Nottingham University Hospitals, UK providing eye care for both children and adults especially Cataract Surgery with Lens implantation. He also served as College Tutor for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

Dr. Leena Amine is the manager of the Qatar Poison Center in Doha, Qatar. She established the poison center in 2017 at Sidra Medicine, where she also serves as a specialist in poison information and a clinical pharmacist in emergency medicine. Dr. Amine holds dual board certification as a pharmacotherapy specialist and a critical care pharmacist, and contributes to the education of medical students, residents, and fellows through various toxicology rotations as a clinical preceptor.

She has also established the first formal toxicology continuing-education program in Qatar for all healthcare professionals in the country. Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, she was an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison Wisconsin. She completed her residency training at the University of Illinois at Chicago and obtained her Doctorate of Pharmacy from Mercer University in Atlanta Georgia, where she also completed poison center and toxicology training at the Georgia Poison Center.

]Dr. Maher Najm is a consultant at Pediatric Emergency Centre in Hamad General Hospital's Emergency Centre. He earned his medical degree from Damascus University and completed his residency at a children's hospital in Damascus. He also studied at a university in Syria and received a certificate from the Arab Board of Pediatricians. He is also a lecturer at the College of Medicine of Qatar University. He is also an instructor at the Hamad International Training Centre. He is also a member of the Academic Activity Committee of the Pediatric Emergency Centre in Qatar.[

Dr. Hamdoun is a pediatric endocrinologist and former assistant professor of medicine with American Board certifications in Medical Specialty, Pediatrics, and Pediatric Endocrinology. He joined Sidra Medicine’s endocrinology and diabetes division in 2022 and was recently appointed Director of the Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program.
Dr. Hamdoun evaluates and treats pediatric patients with endocrine disorders and has a special interest in areas of pediatric thyroid, bone, and calcium metabolism, and type 1 diabetes biology.

He is passionate about building a rapport with patients with diabetes and endocrine disorders, helping them and their families understand their diagnosis, and guiding them through medical treatment. He is involved in research and teaches medical students, trainees, and junior doctors and has an education in clinical research (Master’s) from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Dr. Hamdoun has several publications in reputable journals and is pursuing an academic appointment at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.

Dr. Noora Al-Shahwani is an accomplished pediatric surgeon and serves as the Research lead for the Department of Surgery and the Program Director for General Surgery Residency at Sidra Medicine. She is also the Associate Program Director of Pediatric Surgery fellowship at Sidra Medicine.Dr. Al-Shahwani completed her medical education at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and went on to complete her residency in pediatric surgery at Hamad Medical Corporation, becoming Arab Board certified. She then pursued further training, completing a General Pediatric Surgery fellowship at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and obtaining a Master’s degree in Health Research Methodology at McMaster University.

Dr. Al-Shahwani has been dedicated to advancing the field of pediatric surgery through research and teaching throughout her career. She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and has presented at numerous conferences. Her work has focused on a range of topics, including the management of pediatric inguinal hernias, the pathophysiology of intestinal failure associated liver disease, and the management of aero-digestive foreign bodies in children.In addition to her research, Dr. Al-Shahwani has also been actively involved in teaching and mentoring. She has served as an Instructor in Acute Trauma Life Support since 2016 and has held academic appointments at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and Qatar University.

Dr. Al-Shahwani’s dedication to her patients and her commitment to advancing the field of pediatric surgery have earned her several awards and recognitions, including the Best Quality Improvement initiative award for her appendicitis perioperative ERAS protocol and the Employee of the Year Award certificate from the Department of Surgery at Sidra Medicine.

Dr. Ahmad Abusenenh is a specialist in poison information at the Qatar Poison Center in Doha, Qatar. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from the University of Jordan and holds dual board certifications as a Critical Care Pharmacy Specialist (BCCCP) and an Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Specialist (BCIDP).

Before joining Sidra Medicine, Dr. Abusenenh served as a critical care clinical pharmacist at Istishari Hospital in Amman, Jordan, where he was also the lead for the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Program. His professional interests include toxicology, antimicrobial stewardship, critical care pharmacotherapy, and advancing clinical pharmacy practice in multidisciplinary settings

Dr. Manu Sundaram joined Sidra Medicine in January 2018 as a Physician in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). He is also the Physician Lead for Quality and Safety within the PICU and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar. Dr. Sundaram brings extensive expertise in pediatric critical care medicine, particularly in acute noninvasive ventilation and long-term ventilatory support for children with complex respiratory needs.

He completed his PICU training at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in the UK and previously served as a Consultant in Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine at the University Hospital of North Midlands, UK. Dr. Sundaram is frequently invited to speak at international conferences and to conduct European Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC)-endorsed courses on acute noninvasive ventilation.

Dr. Sindu Balakrishnan joined Sidra Medicine in April 2018. He is the lead for the pediatric pain service at Sidra Medicine which provides pain management for medical, surgical and complex patients. Dr. Sindu is also an instructor in multiple life support courses, airway and sedation courses conducted by the Hamad International Training Centre.

Prior to joining Sidra, Dr. Sindu worked at Hamad Medical Corporation in various areas – starting in surgical and trauma ICUs, Emergency department, adult anesthesiology, Pain management and finishing with Pediatric anesthesiology.

Dr. Ashok Aralihond is an experienced Pediatrician over 20 years of practice in clinical pediatrics. He was trained in major institutions India and UK. He has advanced training in pediatric critical care from Imperial Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Children’s Acute Transport Service, London.Dr. Aralihond is a graduate of masters in pediatric emergency medicine from the University of Edinburgh. He also has broader interest in medical education and, he was intimately involved in undergraduate and postgraduate student education. Dr. Aralihond has looked at the impact of simulation training on team members when involved in actual resuscitation events. And he is a London Deanery STeLI-trained facilitator.
Prior to joining Sidra Medicine, Dr. Aralihond was a Consultant in the Pediatric Emergency Department(ED) with clinical and administrative responsibilities, in various hospitals in the UK. In the past, he was involved in ED outreach Program which brought evidence-based pediatric emergency care and clinical resources to community emergency departments.
Dr. Aralihond enjoys travelling and keen to learn from others in global pediatrics.

Karine Khoder is a Clinical Nurse at Sidra Medicine in Qatar, specializing in pediatric emergency care. She holds a Master’s degree in Nursing with a focus on public health and education, and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, both from Lebanese University. At Sidra since 2018, Karine has been integral to pediatric resuscitation and trauma care and is a certified instructor for BLS, PALS, and ACLS. Before joining Sidra, Karine gained extensive experience in critical care and emergency management roles in Lebanon. Her background includes significant work in ICU and emergency care, along with contributions to research on antibiotic resistance and evidence-based practice. Karine’s dedication to advancing emergency care through both education and clinical practice highlights her commitment to improving patient outcomes.

Hamda Al Jaffali is a legal professional with over eight years of experience working within the legal services at Sidra Medicine. She obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Sussex and currently mastering in Medical Law and Ethics from the University of Manchester. She has developed significant expertise in the healthcare legal sector, her role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including advising on complex legal matters, managing contractual arrangements, and handling litigation. She regularly provides legal support on issues relating to clinical governance, regulatory compliance, and patient care.

Her work is grounded in a commitment to ethical practice and legal integrity within the healthcare environment. She brings a considered and solutions-oriented approach to her practice, supporting both clinical and non-clinical teams in navigating the legal challenges inherent in healthcare delivery.”