Tanzania's First Female Physician

Tanzania's First Female Physician

By: Sydney Green, 2013

Today I met the first female physician in all of Tanzania. She is the sweetest, most adorable, and small old lady I’ve ever met. And inspiring. Her story is beyond remarkable. How does one become a physician when there are no role models to look up to? And not just female role models, but males too. She informed us that there were only 12 physicians in the entire country before independence in 1961; she became a physician in 1969. Naturally, we were curious as to why she decided to become a physician. Her story began somewhat typical: her mother was very sick for a large part of her life and died while she was in secondary school. She always felt that if she knew what was wrong with her mother, her mother would not have died and others like her won’t have to die either. Yet, when she took the exam to get into the medical program, her scores were too low and she was instead referred to secretarial school. At this point many would have given up, and in a sense, she did. Her mother’s death left her and her siblings very poor, and she knew she had to go to school and work, so that is exactly what she did.

Upon graduating, she worked for a chief medical officer, who at the time was British (Tanzania was still occupied). She hated working there and her desire to be a doctor resurfaced. She told them about her dreams and they called it the joke of the century; she soon left, after less than a year. She transferred to a different department and again told them about her dreams. They too laughed. She left in three months. Basically, she was unhappy. This is where divine intervention comes in. Tanzania gained independence and the government wanted to send students to Russia to get additional schooling, sort of a way to develop the brightest students into leaders.

She decided that Russia was her chance to fulfill her dream to be a physician. For once, she was not faced with opposition; however, she was missing the basic science needed for entrance into a medical program. In order to enter the program, she would have to attend high school for two years. A grown woman would have to return to high school. Again, this would be the end of the road for many, but she held her head high, completed those years of high school and entered the medical program.

Today, she runs one of first private medical universities in Tanzania, after serving 20+ years at the national hospital. Everyone adores her. I wish you could all meet this phenomenal woman. And next time you think about giving up, remember this story and get back on your feet.