Prof. Dr. Saeed Akhter, MD, MPH, FACS, is a urologist, transplant surgeon, healthcare leader and institution builder whose career has spanned the United States and Pakistan. His work has brought together transplantation, academic medicine, physician training, healthcare institution development and public health, with a sustained focus on building systems capable of delivering advanced medical care at scale.

Dr. Akhter pursued advanced academic and surgical training in the United States, earning a Master of Public Health from Yale University and completing postgraduate training in surgery and urology at Maimonides Medical Center in New York, where he progressed to Chief Resident and Chief Instructor in Urology. He later undertook advanced transplant training at the University of Minnesota, including pediatric kidney transplantation and combined kidney-pancreas transplantation.

His academic career in the United States developed into senior leadership at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where he served as Chairman of the Department of Urology and held academic appointments in surgery and urology. His work there combined clinical medicine, specialist training, transplantation and academic leadership, helping establish the foundation for the broader healthcare leadership roles that followed.

After returning to Pakistan, Dr. Akhter assumed major responsibilities in transplantation and surgical leadership. At Shifa International Hospital, he served as Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Director of Transplant Surgery, contributing to the development of transplantation services and specialist surgical care.

His career later became increasingly focused on healthcare institution building. At the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Center, he served in senior roles including Chief Executive Officer, Director of Transplant Surgery and Chairman of Urology. His work has subsequently continued through leadership associated with Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Center, and Pakistan Kidney Institute, a reflecting a broader commitment to developing sustainable institutions for specialized care, medical education, research and patient access.

PKLI Institutional History

Prof. Dr. Saeed Akhter has played a central role in the development and leadership of the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute & Research Center, from its formative years through its later institutional expansion. PKLI’s history also includes a period of intense Supreme Court scrutiny and governance disruption during 2018–2019, followed by institutional recovery and renewed growth. After Dr. Akhter’s return to leadership, PKLI went on to expand transplantation, robotic surgery, research, education and regional access to specialized care. PKLI currently identifies him as Chairperson of its Board of Governors, and by March 2026 the institute reported more than 1,000 liver transplants, over 1,200 kidney transplants and more than 500 robotic surgeries. PKLI&RC

Read the PKLI Institutional History & Supreme Court Proceedings →

Alongside transplantation and institutional leadership, Dr. Akhter has remained engaged in public health and healthcare-system development. His recent work includes participation in Pakistan’s national efforts toward Hepatitis C elimination, with emphasis on prevention, screening, early diagnosis, treatment access and the strengthening of healthcare delivery systems.

His professional leadership has also extended beyond individual institutions. He has served as Governor of the American College of Surgeons for Pakistan, President of the Transplant Society of Pakistan, and in academic and professional service roles within Pakistan’s medical community.

Dr. Akhter’s contributions have been recognized through major national and professional honors, including the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, and Doctor of the Year recognition from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Big Spring, Texas.