Chair of Emergency Medicine
Africa, Health Sciences University, Kigali, Rwanda King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda and New York University, New York, USA
KG 288, Kigali, Rwanda
Dr. Tsion Firew is the Chair of Emergency Medicine at Africa Health Sciences University in Rwanda, an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at New York University, and a Senior Advisor overseeing Emergency Medical Services at the Ministry of Health in Rwanda. She brings a rare blend of lived frontline experience and strategic global health expertise. Her work focuses on building responsive, equitable emergency care systems especially in low- and middle-income countries where resources are limited but the needs are urgent.
For six years, Tsion served as a Senior Advisor to Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, leading national efforts in emergency care development, capacity building, and strategic partnerships. She played a key role in shaping national health policy, coordinating emergency preparedness, and mobilizing support for long-term health system transformation.
Tsion co-authored a landmark resolution on Emergency Care adopted by the World Health Assembly, working closely with ministries of health and global partners to elevate emergency care as a global health priority. She is a strong advocate for high-quality Global Emergency Medicine, Universal Health Coverage, and women’s leadership in healthcare systems.
Trained in Emergency Medicine at NYU/Bellevue, she earned her MD from New York Medical College and her MPH in Population and Family Health from Columbia University, along with a certificate in Humanitarian Assistance. Her humanitarian and global health work has taken her to crisis zones in Haiti and Mosul, and she has contributed to emergency care assessments and system building in Ghana, Ethiopia, and at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tsion became a trusted public voice, providing expert commentary on CNN, BBC, NPR, VOA, and other major platforms. She currently serves on WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Integrated Clinical Care and the MedPage Today Editorial Board. She has been recognized by Medscape as one of the “10 Women in Medicine You Need to Follow” and by Medium as one of the “50 Experts to Trust in a Pandemic.”
Driven by a deep belief in health equity, Tsion continues to shape the future of emergency medicine at the bedside, in classrooms, and through global policy.
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Monday, October 20, 2025
2:45 PM - 2:57 PM US ET