Agnes Gatarayiha
Dr Agnes Gatarayiha, MIH, PhD, is a distinguished academic, public health specialist, and ethics advocate with 19 years of experience in dental education and global health. She served as Deputy Dean of the University of Rwanda’s School of Dentistry for eight years, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the national dental workforce through leadership in curriculum development, dental public health initiatives, and research innovation.
A dedicated leader, Dr Agnes has been awarded a fellowship through the Capacity Building for Female Scientists in East Africa (CaFe-SEA) consortium, funded by UKAID via the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), further strengthening her expertise in dental public health and research ethics across the region.
She currently serves as the Country Representative for the Africa Bioethics Network (ABN), promoting ethical standards in health research and policy. Her contributions extends to national health governance includes roles with the Rwanda Allied Health Professional Council and the Ministry of Health.
Her research portfolio includes over 15 peer- reviewed publications, with a strong focus on dental public health and bioethics-related themes such as maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and nutrition. She led Rwanda’s first National Oral Health Survey, funded by the Cummings Foundation in collaboration with Tufts and Harvard dental schools, and has secured multidisciplinary grants funded by SIDA. Dr Agnes also serves on various boards and committees, reinforcing her commitment to ethical and impactful science across disciplines.