Community healthcare is Dr Andile’s passion in life
Dr Sibiya told the Zululand Observer that a severe shortage of ENT services is what drove her to remain in the public health sector.
EAR, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon at Ngwelezana Hospital, Dr Andile Sibiya, has dedicated her skills to providing specialist services to the many patients in this region who cannot afford private healthcare.
Dr Sibiya told the Zululand Observer that a severe shortage of ENT services is what drove her to remain in the public health sector.
‘In 2016 my family relocated to KZN. After the move I realised that there was a severe shortage of specialist ENT services in this region, particularly in servicing the general public unable to afford private healthcare.
‘I then chose to remain in the public healthcare system to dedicate my skills to serving the needy community. The ENT department at Ngwelezana Hospital is relatively new and as a result was still under-resourced,’ Dr Sibiya said.
The 38-year-old, who grew up in Durban, comes from an academically driven family.
‘With my own mother having a Masters degree in taxation, the standard for academic excellence was set very early.
‘I completed matric at Westville Girls High School and then went on to obtain my medical degree at the University of Cape Town.
‘After completing my internship and community service at Ngwelezana Hospital, I went on to specialise in the field of ear, nose and throat surgery.’
She received her Masters in medicine (in otorhinolaryngology) at the University of Pretoria and completed her fellowship exams with the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.
Dr Sibiya says she has derived joy from being able to ease the burden off local patients who had to be added onto long waiting lists for surgery in Durban.
‘There is very little that compares to the sense of serving one’s purpose in life as seeing a patient who previously could not hear, coming back so excited because they can once again interact with those around them. This is particularly touching when the surgery is actually something an ENT surgeon sees as relatively straight forward – like repairing a hole in an eardrum,’ she said.
Over the next few years she hopes to expand on the specialised services available to patients coming to Ngwelezana Hospital.
‘We are hoping to get more full-time specialists and this should go a long way in moving us in the right direction.
‘The hospital management is working really hard with us to support our department in the process of getting the tools we need to provide this service. I am excited about what we will be able to do for our patients,’ she added.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
