Surrey Hospitals Foundation is proud to announce Dr. Kevin Afra as the 2025 recipient of the Sherrold Haddad Excellence in Medicine Award, an honour celebrating physicians whose dedication and innovative research are transforming patient care at Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH).
Spotlight on Dr. Kevin Afra: Advancing Infectious Diseases Research in Fraser Health
Dr. Afra, MD, MHA, FRCPC, serves as the Executive Medical Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention & Control at Fraser Health, an Infectious Diseases Consultant across Fraser Health hospitals, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine.
As Dr. Afra explains, “My research has grown organically from the challenges I see every day as an infectious diseases physician. Across Fraser Health, I’ve learned where major gaps in evidence-based practice remain—and these gaps prevent us from consistently delivering the very best care to our patients.”
His leadership and research place him among Canada’s most impactful emerging voices in infectious diseases. He co-chairs the Provincial Antimicrobial Clinical Expert (PACE) Group, aligning antimicrobial stewardship across all BC health authorities, and contributes to national prescribing guidelines through the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and AMMI Canada.
Transforming Surrey Memorial Hospital into a Clinical Trials Leader
One of Dr. Afra’s most significant achievements is establishing a robust, high-performing clinical trials program at Surrey Memorial Hospital, positioning the site as one of the leading recruiters in international randomized controlled trials studying antibiotic-resistant and hospital-acquired infections.
“Bloodstream infections are among the most serious conditions patients face in the hospital,” says Dr. Afra. “They prolong hospital stays, increase stress for families, and disproportionately affect seniors and vulnerable individuals. We urgently need better evidence to guide how we treat them.”
Under his leadership, the Surrey Memorial Hospital campus is now contributing substantially to major studies, including PETERPEN, SNAP, and BALANCE+.
“I’ve been fortunate to help build a strong clinical trials program at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Our patients have been incredibly receptive to participating, and with the support of exceptional colleagues, we’ve become one of the top sites in international studies.”
These research efforts are generating practice-changing evidence in managing bloodstream infections—a major cause of illness and death in hospitalized patients. His work directly benefits seniors, vulnerable patients, and those with complex infections, helping shape safer, more effective care across Fraser Health.
“In just two years, our team has implemented three major randomized controlled trials at SMH. These studies are answering questions of immediate clinical importance and generating evidence that can change practice around the world.”
A Passion for Research, Education and Capacity Building
In addition to leading-edge research, Dr. Afra invests deeply in shaping the next generation of clinicians and clinician-scientists. He leads UBC’s Sepsis Week for second-year medical students and trains medical students, residents, and fellows completing infectious diseases and stewardship rotations across Fraser Health.
“Dr. Afra is an extraordinary example of how UBC clinical faculty in the Fraser are advancing innovative research that delivers tangible benefits for patients and communities,” says Dr. Wyeth Wasserman, Vice Dean, Research, UBC Faculty of Medicine. “His commitment to expanding clinical trials capacity and to training the next generation is creating the conditions for innovative care and research to flourish across the Fraser region — making him truly deserving of this award.”
Dr. Afra completed Medical School and Internal Medicine training at the University of Calgary, an Infectious Diseases subspecialty at UBC, and holds a Master of Health Administration from UBC.
Photo from left to right: Deveshi Deveshi, Clinical Research Coordinator; Dr. Kevin Afra; Nibi Varghese, Clinical Research Nurse; Christopher Condin, Clinical Research Lead.
Award-Supported Research: Improving Care for Seniors with Delirium
The Sherrold Haddad Excellence in Medicine Award will support Surrey Memorial Hospital’s and UBC’s contribution to the A-DONUT Trial (NCT06004739)—a pan-Canadian randomized controlled study investigating whether older adults with delirium and bacteriuria should receive antibiotics when they have no urinary symptoms.
This is a critical question in hospital medicine. Delirium affects up to half of hospitalized seniors, yet treatment varies widely. Overuse of antibiotics in this population can lead to:
- Harmful side effects
- Clostridioides difficile infections
- Delayed identification of the true cause of delirium
- Rising antimicrobial resistance
The A-DONUT Trial will generate urgently needed evidence to guide clinicians in hospitals, long-term care, and community settings. As Dr. Afra notes, “This award supports research that grows directly out of the realities we see at the bedside. The findings from this work will have a meaningful impact on the care we provide our patients.”
Christopher Condin, Research Lead with the SMH Clinical Research Unit, shares:
“It’s really exciting to be a part of this research. Delirium and bacterial infections are very common conditions for which patients present to our hospital. Their frequency amplifies the impact of this research — it means that clinical trials and better data in this area will have a big impact on the care we provide. Using our antibiotics in the best way possible is also important as we see increasing antibiotic resistance.”
About the Sherrold Haddad Excellence in Medicine Award
This award honours the legacy of Sherrold Haddad, a titan of Surrey’s business community, beloved philanthropist, and former Chair of Surrey Hospitals Foundation.
Known for his charisma and generosity, Sherrold was one of Surrey’s most iconic figures—not only for his success in the automotive industry (including famously flying the giant Expo 86 flag above his Guildford dealership), but also for his remarkable commitment to the community.
The award offers funding to support research in one of the identified priority areas for a UBC clinical faculty member who performs clinical duties at Surrey Memorial Hospital, Czorny Alzheimer Centre, or Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre.
“Sherrold Haddad was a remarkable and inspirational leader… generous to a fault,” says Harp Dhillon, Past Chair of Surrey Hospitals Foundation. “We are grateful to the Haddad family for their ongoing support and generous gift that makes this award possible.”
While Board Chair, Sherrold helped raise over $10 million for the Children’s Health Centre and played a crucial role in expanding Surrey Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department. His legacy of compassion, leadership, and community service lives on through this award.
Applications for the 2026 Award Open in February
Fraser Health physicians with UBC clinical appointments are encouraged to apply for next year’s award. Details will be released in February 2025.
Congratulations, Dr. Afra
Your leadership, research, and dedication to improving patient care reflect the true spirit of the Sherrold Haddad Excellence in Medicine Award. Surrey Hospitals Foundation is honoured to support your work and the impact it will have across our community.
A version of this story is published on UBC’s Faculty of Medicine website and Fraser Health’s The Beat.
