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NEWS FLASH: OBE for Professor Wasim Hanif

Story posted/last updated: 20 June 2026

Prof Wasim Hanif has been awarded the OBE, Order of the British Empire , one of the highest civilian awards of UK and Commonwealth in the King’s Birthday Honours List for services to Diabetes and Health Inequalities in June 2026.

He was born in Hyderabad India into an eminent family. He had his schooling at the prestigious St George’s Grammar School in the city. He did his MBBS from Gandhi Medical College affiliated to Osmania University.

He arrived in the UK in 1995 and had qualifications of MRCP, FRCP from Royal College of Physicians London and MD from University of Birmingham. He did his specialist training in Diabetes & Endocrinology at University Hospitals Birmingham and has been a consultant there since 2003.

He has held a number of roles of eminence: Professor of Diabetes & Endocrinology University Hospital Birmingham, Hon Professor of Medicine University of Warwick, Visiting Professor and Medical Director Birmingham City University, Trustee Diabetes UK, Non Executive Director BMJ, President Elect British Medical Association BMA, Chair Association for study of Obesity UK, Trustee South Asian Health Foundation UK , among many others.

He is an eminent global authority on Diabetes, Obesity and Health Inequalities. He has published widely and was the first to publish the disproportionate impact of COVID on Ethnic Minorities in the UK.

He has expertise on health policy and equity in healthcare. He has been a member of European policy forum advising EU, Member of UK Parliamentary Committee on Diabetes and Health Inequalities,WHO global policy forum on Diabetes, Strategy for Commonwealth to guide ministers at UN summit on health, UK foreign and Commonwealth office scientific delegation to India, UK India Covid task force, among others.

Story posted/last updated: 28 October 2014

A new report published by the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF) highlights that misunderstanding of diabetes in the South Asian community can be addressed by culturally appropriate education programmes.

The report shows how initial assumptions and fears about the condition can be challenged by tailored community engagement events featuring debate and ‘Meethi Baatein’ (Sweet Talk), a short film on the risk factors of type 2 diabetes.

The report was launched in the House of Lords by the Secretary of State Health Jeremy Hunt, who praised the efforts of SAHF in raising the awareness among the community about diabetes. more...

Prof. Hanif recently attended the World Diabetes Congress 2013 at Melbourne, Australia... more...