From Passion to Impact: Dr. Fenny Shidhika’s Journey in Transforming Heart Care in Namibia
Finding My Calling in Pediatric Cardiology
I’m a pediatric cardiologist in Namibia working for the Ministry of Health and Social Services. I’m also the founder of the Namibia National Children’s Health Trust, which aligns with the Ministry of Health to try to provide accessible, affordable, equitable, safe, quality, timely, and sustainable care to everybody in Namibia.
Choosing pediatric cardiology was by default. I always wanted to be a cardiologist, and in my second year of medical school at the University of Cape Town, I discovered the biography of Christian Barnard, the pioneering heart transplant surgeon. I became interested in hearts in general and wanted to be an adult cardiologist. There is very little exposure to congenital cardiology as a medical student or young doctor. During my time as a medical student and intern in Namibia, the government opened the first heart unit in the country at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in collaboration with the University of Cape Town. Professor Mayosi, who was my mentor, suggested I go to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital to work with children with heart disease. I thought he had made a mistake because I hadn’t trained in pediatrics. But I listened and learned during my six months, and I think that was the best thing that has happened to me. I found the career of my soul, and I have never looked back. I believe this is what I was meant to do. I had the right teams to train me and expose me. And since then, the right teams internationally have exposed me to more great things. I don’t want anything else.
Building a Lifesaving Heart Surgery Program in Namibia
I think the most satisfying aspect is dealing with patients, despite the complexity and sometimes sadness for lives we cannot necessarily save. It is the most satisfying and most gratifying career because we can change some lives completely. And I think the most important thing, having returned from Cape Town as a young cardiologist, together with our surgeon, was to establish a local surgical congenital program. Previously, our patients had to travel to Cape Town for surgeries, which was expensive and meant they were far from their homes and families. We are privileged to have the support of the people who trained us and others globally to develop this program, and they continue to support us to make it a bigger, comprehensive program.
Namibia is a small country, and we struggle with the human capacity to look after these patients, but we have built a multidisciplinary team, including anesthesia, ICU, cardiology, and surgery. Going forward, we are looking to increase capacity so that we can serve more people per year, with quality at the forefront. And, of course, we need a holistic approach to serve our patients well. We are on track to achieve our vision, and we have had great support from our government. Of course, the budgets are never enough, and that is why I established the Namibia National Children’s Health Trust to help support the government and meet halfway so that we can serve as many patients as possible.
A Global Perspective, A Local Mission
I have enjoyed my cardiology training because that is what I always wanted to be. I recognize and appreciate the privilege I had getting trained right out of university by outstanding people who combined first- and third-world cardiology, so I got a global perspective. They exposed me to administrative aspects of the work, which has helped me run an effective service. When I was finishing my training, I received a British congenital cardiac fellowship and spent time in the UK, and I think that was one of the best times of my career. In 2021, I also went to Necker Hospital in Paris, which is well known for congenital heart care, and it was an amazing experience. But I have also had many highlights working with patients and their families and developing close relationships with them. Of course, there are challenges, too. It’s a very complex field, and it’s difficult when you are on your own, and you must sort out the players and administrators, and sometimes politicians, while also seeing all the patients. The whole country is tough, but at the same time, very satisfying. I just need more people to come here to continue doing this work, so we reach our targets.
It’s a privilege to be on the Medical Advisory Committee Global ARCH. I think it’s an important organization, and what encourages me is that it’s global and collaborative. It represents the real interests of the patients and fights for them. I’m inspired by the team at Global ARCH and their energy and drive, which I think is characteristic of people working for congenital heart disease. Global ARCH doing great work.
