When Dr Nokubonga Vundla began her medical journey, she never imagined she would end up working in one of the most complex and demanding fields of medicine, clinical haematology, the study and treatment of blood disorders, cancers and bone marrow transplants. But her passion for transplant medicine was ignited during her specialist training in Cape Town, where she encountered the life-saving potential of bone marrow and organ transplants. That passion and persistence have now earned her national recognition.
Vundla, one of only about 20 clinical haematologists in South Africa, was honoured with a Sub-Specialist Award at the Discovery Foundation Awards held last Thursday. The annual awards celebrate leadership, academic excellence and innovation in South African healthcare. According to research, the country faces a critical shortage of doctors, with only 5.5 per 10,000 people, and even fewer medical specialists, making professionals such as Vundla invaluable.
Durban-born Vundla, based at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, said: “I’m a clinical haematologist and a fellow there. I’m already a specialist physician, but this is a subspecialty where you focus on blood disorders, blood cancers and bone marrow transplants.” Speaking to the Sunday Times after receiving her award, Vundla recalled how she once vowed never to pursue internal medicine. “You would admit 30 patients, and by the next morning, you’re certifying 15 deaths.
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I told myself I’m never going to do this,” she said. While working as a community medical officer in Port Shepstone, a senior doctor changed her mind. “She said I would make an excellent specialist physician,” she said.
At the time, there were no specialist training posts available in KwaZulu-Natal. Undeterred, she reached out directly to the University of Cape Town. “I literally emailed the secretary to the HOD and said, ‘Look, I need a post, here are my qualifications.’ They said there were no posts, and I said, ‘Call me when one opens.’ Eventually, I got a call, did the interview and was appointed as a medical registrar in 2016.” Before a patient can even reach a specialist, they must go through primary healthcare, which can take several days.
For someone earning R250 a day, taking that much time off work means losing most of their week’s income. So people default on follow-ups, not because they don’t care but because they can’t afford to go back.
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