Claire Karekezi

Karekezi specializes in neuro oncology and skull-base surgery, is the acting chairperson of the African Women in Neurosurgery (AWIN), Committee of the Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies (CAANS), and was elected as a member of the national council of the Rwanda Medical and Dental Council (RMDC) and the Secretary of the bureau for 2022-2026.

Karekezi joined the Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH) in January 2019 as the hospital's first consultant neurosurgeon and the first neurosurgeon to perform neurosurgical procedures there. The establishment of a neurosurgery practice in the Rwandan public health sector has not been devoid of obstacles. Upon establishing her practice at RMH, she devoted the first few months of her tenure to establishing a functional neurosurgical unit by acquiring the necessary surgical equipment and personnel.

Neurosurgery continues to be a male-dominated field, particularly in Africa, where women neurosurgeons account for less than 12% of all neurosurgeons. Karekezi is determined to enhance mentorship and support for her female colleagues and future generations. In 2019, she was elected as the chair of the African Women in Neurosurgery (AWIN) section of the Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies (CAANS).

After completing her fellowship in Toronto in December 2018, Karekezi returned to Rwanda as the country's first female neurosurgeon. In her 2018 TEDxEuston talk, Karekezi painted a clearer picture of the general lack of access to surgery in Africa and the role she plays in training more future neurosurgeons to address this deficit. Karekezi stated, "I refuse to allow being African and a woman to be a limitation for me." She has raised awareness about the significance of neurosurgical education on the African continent, the need for more female neurosurgeons to combat stereotypes, and the severe shortage of neurosurgeons in the continent.

After completing her residency in Morocco Karekezi pursued additional training with a focus on neuro oncology. In 2016, she spent three months at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, as a recipient of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) International Visiting Surgeon Fellowship. From 2017 to 2018, she completed a one-year clinical fellowship in neuro oncology and Skull Base Surgery at Toronto Western Hospital.

In 2011, she was accepted into the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) Reference center in Rabat for the training of African neurosurgeons. This training center was established in 2002 through a partnership between the WFNS and the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco. Karekezi completed her residency in neurosurgery in 2016.

Karekezi was born in Butare, Rwanda. Mr.  Karekezi Sr., her father, was a telecommunications engineer, and Mrs. Musine, her mother, was a high school teacher. Karekezi grew up in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, where she and her two older siblings received their early education. She enjoyed science as a child, and after sixth grade in elementary school, she majored in mathematics and physics in high school. She met the admissions criteria for medical school and studied general medicine in Butare at the University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, graduating as an MD in March 2009. During her time in Butare, Karekezi had her first exposure to neurosurgery, an experience that changed the course of her life.

The journey of Karekezi began at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda (UR), where she graduated with honors in Medicine in 2009. In 2007, Karekezi participated in an International Federation of Medical Student's Associations (IFMSA) professional exchange at the Linköping Teaching Hospital in Sweden. There, she met professor Jan Hillman, who had a significant impact on her decision to pursue a career in neurosurgery. In February 2009, following a brief stay in Sweden, Karekezi completed an elective program at the Department of Neurosurgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University. Both training experiences sparked her interest in Neurosurgery and granted her the confidence to pursue a career in the field.

Claire Karekezi is a Neurosurgeon (born 1982) at the Rwanda Military Hospital in Kigali, Rwanda. As the first woman neurosurgeon in Rwanda, and one of six neurosurgeons serving a population of 13 million, Karekezi serves as an advocate for women in neurosurgery. She has become an inspiration for young people pursuing neurosurgery, particularly young women.