Ndekya Oriyo

With over 20 years of collective experience in public and global health, project management, academia, and research, I am well-versed in my field. I hold a PhD in Medical Microbiology from University College London (UCL). I possess a varied background in conducting and managing health and research projects, providing technical expertise to ministries and government sectors, regional bodies, and project management and international organisations. Overall, my career has been dedicated to contributing to scientific research and education, strengthening health systems and enhancing global health security. Currently, I serve as the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning at Amref Health Africa in Tanzania, where I oversee monitoring systems across all operational domains. My role involves aligning our project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts with our strategic plan, developing a robust results-based M&E system, and leading the evaluation efforts of our strategy. I also ensure the quality of external consultants' deliverables and strategically package key information to enhance organisational learning and research capacity. Before joining Amref, I held senior positions at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in Tanzania, including Director of Research Information and Regulatory Affairs. In this role, I was responsible for registering and regulating health research, facilitating ethics clearance, supporting national disease surveillance, and promoting research publication. I also served as the Director of Research Information, Technology, and Communication, where I oversaw five departments and was responsible for disseminating health research evidence, supporting national disease surveillance efforts, and managing the institute's ICT systems and policy analysis. Along the same line, I also held the position of Director of Research Coordination and Promotion. I was also the Secretary of the National Health Research Ethics Committee. My career began in academia as a Lecturer in Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College. During that period, I coordinated and carried out research through the KCMC-UCL research collaboration that focused on the respiratory pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae and tuberculosis. I have led and contributed to research initiatives focused on global health security, infectious diseases, and public health ethics. As a Principal Investigator, I have led programs to improve evaluation capacity within the Tanzanian government under the PEPFAR initiative, and I have been a co-investigator on projects enhancing clinical research ethics and medicine regulatory frameworks during public health emergencies. My work includes contributions to research on neglected tropical diseases, COVID-19, and antimicrobial resistance. In addition to my research roles, I have been actively involved in data safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) for clinical trials and served on the editorial boards of scientific journals. I have also served as a clinical trial monitor for studies on diagnostic markers and treatments for various infectious diseases, ensuring rigorous oversight and adherence to international standards. My contributions to public health are reflected in publications and conference proceedings, covering diverse topics such as infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, clinical trials, and health system strengthening. publications emanated from studies on filarial lymphedema, clinical research ethics in Tanzania, and dengue infection. My work on equitable authorship in global health research, published in PLOS Global Public Health and Nature, underscores my commitment to fair recognition of local researchers in international collaborations. I have held roles in national and international committees, contributing to the development and implementation of key health policies and strategies. As a member of the National STI Masterplan Development Committee and the National Research Excellence Awards Selection Committee, I have helped shape Tanzania's health research and policy landscape. Internationally, I have served as the Independent Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel for the International Multidisciplinary Programme to Address Lung Health and TB in Africa "IMPALA", a project funded by the UK NIHR. I am on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the East African Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR), a programme funded by EDCTP. As a subject matter expert in global health security, I have led and co-led teams for Joint External Evaluations (JEE) under the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) for WHO missions in Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States. In Tanzania, I was a member of the Tanzania Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) Steering Committee. Additionally, I contributed to the Tanzania Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) Strategic Plan (2020-2025) and the One Health Strategic Plan (2021-2026). I chaired the committee responsible for drafting the National Action Plan for Health Security (2024-2029) and the National Operation Plan for Health Security (2023-2024). I also played a role in formulating the updated National Health Research Ethics Guidelines, National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance (2023-2028) and the National Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity Guidelines (2022). I have also contributed to regional initiatives such as the EAC Regional Health Sector Knowledge Management Strategy and the Digital Regional EAC Health Initiative Strategic Plan.