Healthcare Hero: Dr. Bassam Zahra

Healthcare Hero Dr. Bassam Zahra is an Orthopaedic Surgeon in New Brunswick. Dr. Zahra completed his medical education and training globally in Aleppo, Damascus, and Montreal, Quebec. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Zahra has continued to support his patients though virtual and in-person care, and advocates for the value of investing in health technology to better prepare for the future. As a healthcare professional, he adapted his practice and his patient interactions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Dr. Zahra’s greatest lesson during the COVID-19 pandemic was the importance of intellectual collaboration and integration in order to overcome global public health challenges and pandemics. As we are living in a connected world, he recognizes how our actions can have both positive and negative impacts on society.

Like many of us with families in other countries, a challenge for Dr. Zahra during this time was not being able to physically see or visit his parents during the last 16 months. In his  professional work, Dr. Zahra also experienced healthcare challenges, including reduced accessibility to operating rooms,  growing waiting lists for procedures such as knee and hip surgeries, and the difficulties in supporting patients virtually  Some of the positive impacts that he found in this difficult time included the opportunity to spend more time with his family, developing new innovative technologies and processes to tackle patient challenges, and having the opportunity to complete a certification from MIT.

Outside of his role, Dr. Zahra has helped  support the local and global community as a board member for ITREB Canada, a medical volunteer in Montreal and Toronto, and in the past as the Vice President of the Aga Khan Health Service in Syria. He has also helped support Syrian refugees settling in Canada. Dr. Zahra’s advice for the Jamat is to continue to follow and respect public health recommendations and get vaccinated, as these actions have a tremendous impact in fighting this pandemic. When he is not working or volunteering, Dr. Zahra enjoys reading theology, as well as collecting manuscripts to translate. To help look after his own well-being, Dr. Zahra also finds time for self-care activities such as walking, listening to music, and meditating.

As part of the Healthcare Heroes initiative, we will be featuring healthcare workers in the Jamat until Sunday, July 11. Stay tuned for more!