Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

Anna Banerji O.Ont MD, MPH, FRCP(C), DTM&H

Research Interests

• International Health
• Communicable Diseaes
• Aboriginal Health (especially Inuit)
• Tropical Medicine
• Refugee & Migration Health
• Adoption Medicine
• Child Health
• Public Health
• Advocacy and Human Rights

EDUCation & Training History

2003 Master of Public Health, International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA

1989 Doctor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON

1983-1985 Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Ontario

Postgraduate, Research and Specialty Training

1998 Clinical Research Fellowship, Medical Research Council/Canadian Infectious Disease Society, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec

1997 Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Gorgas Course in Tropical Medicine, University of Alabama, Lima, Peru

1995-1997 Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec

1992-1995 Pediatric Residency, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Ontario

1989 Rotating Internship, Toronto East General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario

Other Affiliations

University Affiliations

• 2016-present, Associate Professor, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, (Primary), Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Secondary)
• 2007 – 2016, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, Primary
• 2005 – present Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Secondary

Other Appointments

• 2017-present, Tropical Disease Specialist, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network
• 2010-present Project Investigator, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children
• 2009 – present Associate Research Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON
• 2008 – present Infectious Disease Specialist, Dept. of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, Hospital for Sick Children, (Cross-Appointment), Toronto, ON
• 2007- present Associate, Centre for International Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
• 2005-present Associate, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto

Other memberships/boards

• 2017-present Research Ethics Review Board, Health Sciences, Dalla Lana School of Public Health
• 2015-present    Co-founder and president of the board for Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers. The society promotes best practices, disseminate knowledge and research for refugees.
• 2011-2015 University of Toronto International Health Program (UTIHP), Advisory Committee,
• 2011-2014 Ontario Multicultural Health Applied Research Network, Advisory Committee
• 2010-2016 Aboriginal Task Force, St. Michael’s Hospital, The mission is develop a strategy towards improving Aboriginal Health access, equity and research at St. Michael’s Hospital
• 2012-2014 ILC foundation, Improving the Life of Children in chronic pain, Board of Directors,
• 2011-2014 International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT), Board of Directors
• 2010-2012 Infection Control Committee, St Michael’s Hospital representing the Dept. of Paediatrics
• 2009-2012 Advisory Panel Member Children and Youth New to Canada for new version of book published by the Canadian Paediatric Society
• 2008-present First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health committee member, Canadian Paediatric Society. I am one of 5 paediatricians in Canada on this committee, which has a mission to promote and advocate for the health of Aboriginal children in Canada, through research, policy and statements. I have written the statement on accidental injury prevention, and Food Insecurity for Indigenous Children and Youth in Canada (in press)
• 2009 – 2011 International Child Health, Canadian Paediatric Society, Section Member Executive, Member at Large
• 2008-2009 Inter-professional Education Global Health Think Tank and working group, committee member. I am representing the Faculty of Medicine on this committee, which has a goal to develop inter-professional opportunities in International Health, reporting to Dr Sarita Verma
• 2008-2009 Pediatric Pandemic Planning Committee, Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres, Pediatric representative

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

• Created Indigenous Health Conference (ICH): Challenging Health Inequities 2014, IHC 2016: Towards Health and Reconciliation, and preparing for IHC 2018: Honoring our mothers, Communities and Earth
• I created the Canadian Refugee Health Conference 2009 and 2011, which evolved into the North American Refugee Health Conference which occurred in 2013, 2015, 2017 in Toronto. I continue to be the Canadian course director and chair of the biennial conference.
• Course coordinator and Lecturer, Global Health Education Institute, Certificate Program for Residents, Faculty of Medicine, section on special populations (Aboriginal and Refugee) 2009-2014
• Undergraduate course co-ordinator: Medical student elective in Refugee Health for the University of Toronto, MedSIS elective no 26-235-6258. I supervise and co-ordinate the elective.
• CHL 5004 course “Introduction to Public Health”. 2012
• DOCH2, tutor 2011
• DOCH2 Research supervisor 2010
• Respiratory tract Infections in Aboriginal children, Guest Lecturer, Graduate Course CHL5117, Global Health Perspectives for women and children, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, February 8th, 2012
• Respiratory tract Infections in Aboriginal children, Guest Lecturer Graduate Course CHL5421 Aboriginal Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, November 18th 2011
• Co-instruct course CHL5117: Global Health Perspectives for women and children, winter terms 2006-2008
• Medical Students, residents and fellows at St. Michael’s Hospital, and St. Joesph’s Health Centre

Professional Summary & Appointments

University Status and Appointments: Current

Current Employment

2013-present     Faculty Lead, Indigenous and Refugee Health, Post MD Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (.5 FTE)

2017       Tropical Disease Specialist, Tropical Disease Unit, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON

2014-present     Refugee Health Specialist, COSTI Immigrant Services, Toronto, ON, I created a pediatric clinic for newly arrived government assisted refugees (GARS) located at the COSTI resettlement shelter in the spring of 2014.

2004-present     Infectious Disease and Consulting Pediatrician, St Joseph’s Health Centre, Toronto, ON. I consult for pediatric infectious disease and general pediatrics for the community teaching hospital whose population includes a large immigrant/refugee population

1998-present Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit, I am trained as a member of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to respond to crisis (environmental and humanitarian crises around the world). I have been a delegate with the Canadian Red Cross since 1998.

2006-2017 Infectious Disease and Consulting Pediatrician, Inner City Health Unit, Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON. I created the Immigrant Health and Infectious Disease Clinic, a pediatric clinic for immigrants or refugees, children adopted internationally, or those who have an illness acquired from abroad

Appointments

2007 – 2016 Assistant Professor

University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, Primary

2005 – present Assistant Professor

University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Secondary, Clinical Public Health and Social & Behavioural Health Science Divisions

Other Appointments

2009 – present Associate Research Scientist

Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON

2008 – present Infectious Disease Specialist

Dept. of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, Hospital for Sick Children, (Cross-Appointment), Toronto, ON

2007- present Associate, Centre for International Health

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

2005-present Associate, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto

2010 – 2014 Project Investigator, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children

Honours and Awards

2016       Gold winner 2016 University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) Marketing Award for Indigenous Health Conference 2016 print ad

2016       Honourable Mention, Peter Henderson Bryce MD Award for Excellence in Public Health policy for First Nations Métis and Inuit Children and Youth

2015       Dr. Norman L. Jones Award given by the Pulsus Group to the first author of an original paper deemed by the Associate Editors to have the greatest potential for impact on respiratory, critical care or sleep medicine

2015       Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Professional Development Grant towards writing book on Indigenous Health, (working title “Rising Stars”), $4000

2015       Canadian Association for University Continuing Education Marketing Award 2014, for the Indigenous Health Conference’ Campaign for ‘Marketing on a Shoestring’ category (low-budget/high-impact initiatives), intended to recognize innovative and inexpensive ways to promote programs to internal or external audiences

2015       Nominated for Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award

2015       Nominated Public Health Champions Award, Toronto Public Health

2014       2014 Women’s Courage Award International, 2014

2012       Order of Ontario,

2012       Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012

2012       Nominated for Peter Henderson Bryce MD award for Excellence in Public Health policy for First Nations Métis and Inuit Children and Youth

2010       Certificate of Merit, Canadian Public Health Association, given to an individual who has made a noteworthy contribution in advancing the public health agenda whose contributions further CPHA in achieving its objectives, June 2010

2008       Educational Excellence for Community Health Care Award, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine. Qualities for the award include: Humanism, Collaboration, Advocacy, Educatory and Resource to the Community, 2008

2008       Nominated for the The Robin Badgley Awards for Teaching Excellence in Public Health Sciences

2003       2003 Promising Graduate” for Harvard School of Public Health 2003, Selected by HSPH, “as profiled by the Harvard Gazette, Commencement issue

2003       Nominated for the Dr. Fang Ching Sun Award, Harvard School of Public Health, for my work with Inuit children

2002       Harvard School of Public Health, partial Scholarship

 

Current Research Projects

• 2008-2016 Principle Investigator, Northern RSV surveillance. This is a multi-site surveillance for Inuit children admitted to hospital with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and other respiratory viruses across 10 sites in Canada
• 2009 I am the P.I for Health needs assessment on Aboriginal children in Toronto
• 2009-present, Nutritional Assessment of children new to Canada
• 2011-present, co-P.I. Admissions to hospital in Nunavik

Representative Publications

• Banerji A, Food Insecurity and Malnutrition in Indigenous Children and youth in Canada, Paediatr Child Health, in press
• Banerji A, Shah C, Ten-Year Experience of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; diagnostic and resource challenges in Indigenous children, Paediatr Child Health, 2017, 22 (3): 143-147, 15 May 2017
• Banerji A, Panzov V, Young M, et al. Hospital admissions for lower respiratory tract infections among infants in the Canadian Arctic: a cohort study, CMAJ Open, CMAJ Open, October 18, 2016; 4(4) E615-E622
• Banerji A, Ng K, Morales T, Panzov V, Robinson J, Lee B. Cost-effectiveness of palivizumab in term infants who reside in the Canadian Arctic, CMAJ Open, CMAJ Open, October 18, 2016; 4(4) E623-E633
• Banerji A, Scabies, Paediatr Child Health. 2015 Oct;20(7):395-402

• Evans A, Kiluk D, Banerji A, Imported Pediatric Malaria at the Hospital for Sick Children Toronto Canada: A 16 Year Review, BMC Pediatrics, 2014, 14:251

• Banerji A, Panzov V, Young, Mamdani M, The Real Life Effectiveness of Palivizumab in Reducing RSV Hospital Admissions for Infants Residing in Nunavut, Canada, Can Respir J. 2013 Dec 23. pii: 15997

• Banerji, A, Onchocercia, Children and Youth New to Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, February 2014, http://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/conditions/onchocerciasis

• Banerji A, Panzov V, Young M et al, The Cost of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Hospital Admissions in the Canadian Arctic, Int J Circumpolar Health 2013, 72: 21595

• Banerji, A, Hunter A, Malnutrition, Children and Youth New to Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, ( I wrote the entire section, which included several subsections including Folic Acid, Iodine, Iron, Vitamins A, B12, D and Zinc) April 2013, http://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/conditions/malnutrition

• Hunter, A, Banerji, A, Hereditary Anemias, Children and Youth New to Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, including subsections Hereditary Anemias, G6PD, Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemias, April 2013, http://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/conditions/anemias

• Banerji A, Prevention of Unintentional Injury in Indigenous Children and Youth in Canada, Paediatrics & Child Health, Paediatrics and Child Health, Sept 2012

• Morantz G, Rousseau C, Banerji A, Resettlement challenges faced by refugee claimant families in Montreal: Lack of access to childcare, Child & Family Social Work, January 2012

• Bosco P, Mitchell I, Banerji A, MD, Lanctot, Langley JM, A decade of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemiology and prophylaxis: Translating evidence into everyday clinical practice, Can Respir J. 2011 Mar-Apr;18(2):e10-9

• Tam D, Banerji A, Paes BA, The cost effectiveness of palivizumab in term Inuit infants in the Eastern Canadian Arctic, Journal of Medical Economics, 2009; 12(4): 361–370

• Banerji A, Greenberg D, Forsberg White L, et al, Risk factors for lower respiratory tract infections hospitalization in Canadian Inuit children: a case-control, Pediatr Infect Dis J, August 2009, 697-701

• Banerji A, Lanctôt KL, Paes B, et al Comparison of the Cost of Respiratory Syncytial Virus hospitalization versus Palivizumab Prophylaxis in term Canadian Inuit Infants. Pediatr Infect Dis J, August 2009, 702-706

• Denburg A, Rashid M, Brophy J, Curtis T, Malloy P, Audley J, Pegg W, Hoffman S, Banerji A. Initial health screening results for Karen refugees: a retrospective review. Can Commun Dis Rep. 2007 Dec 1;33(13):16-22

• Banerji A, Ford-Jones EL, Kelly E, Robinson LJ, Congenital rubella syndrome despite maternal antibodies, CMAJ June 21, 2005,172: 1678-1679

• Miller K, Banerji A, Epidemiology of malaria presenting at British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital, 1984 to 2001: Lessons for Prevention, Can J Public Health, 95(4) 245-8, July/Aug 2004

• Banerji, A, Tyler I, Finkelstein M, Gournis E, Pritchard M, Shahin R, Inactivated Trivalent Influenza Vaccine 2003-04, Effectiveness in Long Term Care Institutions: The Toronto Experience, Can Commun Dis Rep 30(12):109-116 June 15, 2004

• Greenberg D, Banerji A, Friedman M G, Chiu CH, Kahane S, High Rate of Simkania negevensis among Canadian Inuit Infants Hospitalized with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections, Scand J of Infect Dis, 35:1-3, July 2003

• Banerji A, High rates of hospitalisation for bronchiolitis in Inuit children on Baffin Island, Int J Circumpolar Health, 60(2):375-9, August, 2001

• Banerji A, Bell A, Mills E, Loo VG, et al. Lower Respiratory Tract Infections on Baffin Island, CMAJ, 164(13):1847-50, 2001 June 26

• Banerji A, Noya FM, Brain Abscess associated with Neonatal Listeria, Pediatr Infect Dis J, 18(3):305-7, 1999 March 18

• Banerji A, King JW, et al. Use of Single Dose Ceftriaxone in the Emergency Department During an Outbreak of Serogroup