Dr. Redae Berhane

About Me:

Dr. Berhane Redae Meshesha, MD, MA, PhD is a consultant endoscopic surgeon, surgical systems leader, and academic physician with over 18 years of experience spanning advanced gastrointestinal surgery, interventional endoscopy, and healthcare systems strengthening across sub-Saharan Africa. He currently serves at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFHR) in Kigali as Head of Endoscopy and Day Care Surgery, GI Fellowship Instructor, and Director of the Interventional Endoscopy Training Program in partnership African Health Science University.

Dr. Berhane’s clinical expertise encompasses the full spectrum of interventional endoscopy — including ERCP, EMR, ESD, biliary stenting, and balloon dilation — alongside laparoscopic and minimal access surgery. He was among the pioneers who established advanced endoscopy services and Minimal endoscopy surgery in Ethiopia, and he played a foundational role in launching the country’s first living donor kidney transplant program at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) led a decade of institutional growth as Endoscopy Unit Head, Vice Head of Surgery, and Medical Services Vice Provost.

At the national level, Dr. Berhane served as Senior Surgical Services and Systems Advisor to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (2019–2023), during which he co-led the development of Ethiopia’s second National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plan (SaLTS II) and served concurrently as National Clinical Advisor for COVID-19. His policy and systems contributions have directly shaped surgical capacity frameworks across primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities in Ethiopia.

A prolific researcher, Dr. Berhane has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications across transplantation, gastroenterology, hepatology, surgery, and public health, with work appearing in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, BMC Gastroenterology, Transplantation, Endoscopy International Open, and the Rwanda Medical Journal, among others. His ongoing research at KFHR includes studies on interventional endoscopy outcomes and cost-effectiveness, combined ERCP and laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and AI readiness in Rwanda’s health system. Two manuscripts on building Rwanda’s gastroenterology fellowship and endoscopy training model are currently awaiting publication.

Dr. Berhane holds a PhD in Endoscopic Surgery from Kuban State Medical University (Russia), a Master of Arts in Economics from the Russian State Trade and Economics University, a Specialty Certificate in Surgery, and a Doctor of Medicine degree. He has completed advanced training at Harvard Medical School, Mayo Clinic, IRCAD (Taiwan and Strasbourg), Tulane University. He is a Fellow of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (FISQua) and holds leadership positions in multiple regional and continental professional societies.