Ms. Mala Rao

PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSOR, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

Professor Mala Rao is a Senior Clinical Fellow in Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London and serves as Medical Adviser to the National Health Service. She spent 17 years as an NHS consultant and later served as Director of Public Health. Her work integrates research, audit, and service development. In 1997, she established England’s first evidence-based cancer network. In 2003, she became Head of Public Health Workforce at the Department of Health, London. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for her contributions to public health in the UK and internationally, with a strong focus on reducing health inequalities.