Dr. Firew Tsion

About Me:

Dr. Tsion Firew is an internationally recognized Emergency Physician, global health leader, educator, researcher, and advocate whose work has significantly influenced the development of emergency care systems across Africa and beyond. She serves as a Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Chair of Emergency Medicine at Africa Health Sciences University, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at New York University (NYU), and Senior Advisor on Emergency Medical Services to the Ministry of Health of Rwanda.

With a distinguished career spanning clinical medicine, academic leadership, health policy, implementation science, and global advocacy, Dr. Firew is widely regarded as one of the leading voices in emergency medicine and health systems strengthening. Her work is centered on advancing equitable access to high-quality emergency care, strengthening healthcare systems, and improving outcomes for vulnerable populations worldwide.

Prior to her current appointments, Dr. Firew served as Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and clinical faculty at Columbia University in New York. She also spent six years as Senior Advisor to Ethiopia's Minister of Health on Emergency Care and Strategic Partnerships, where she played a pivotal role in shaping national emergency care policy, strengthening emergency systems, and fostering strategic collaborations across government, academia, and international organizations.

Dr. Firew has demonstrated exceptional leadership during major public health emergencies. During the Marburg Virus Disease outbreak in Rwanda, she played a critical role in emergency response coordination, clinical operations, implementation research, and the evaluation of novel therapeutics. Her contributions to outbreak preparedness and response have resulted in multiple scientific publications and have strengthened Rwanda's capacity to respond to emerging health threats.

A passionate advocate for emergency care as a cornerstone of Universal Health Coverage, Dr. Firew co-authored the landmark World Health Assembly Resolution on Emergency Care. Working closely with ministries of health, international partners, and global stakeholders, she helped secure broad international support for the resolution and its successful adoption, advancing emergency care as a global health priority.

Beyond her clinical and policy work, Dr. Firew is a prolific researcher whose scholarship focuses on emergency care systems, health equity, implementation science, infectious disease preparedness, and global health policy. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and serves on several international advisory and editorial boards.

Her expertise has also made her a trusted public voice during global health crises. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Firew regularly provided expert commentary and evidence-based analysis for leading international media outlets, including CNN, BBC, NPR, and Voice of America (VOA), helping to inform public understanding of emergency care and public health response strategies.

Dr. Firew currently serves on the MedPage Today Editorial Board and the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on Integrated Clinical Care. Her contributions to medicine and public scholarship have earned international recognition, including being named one of Medscape's "10 Women in Medicine You Need to Follow" and one of Medium's "50 Experts to Trust in a Pandemic."

Through her leadership, research, education, and advocacy, Dr. Firew continues to shape the future of emergency medicine globally while championing resilient, equitable, and patient-centered health systems.