Ethiopian Doctors

Written by Richard Pankhurst   ​

Adapted from An Introduction to the Medical History of Ethiopia

​While diplomats, doctors, and other foreigners had been introducing modern medicine to ever-wider sections of the public, the first Ethiopian doctor, quite unknown to Menilek or anyone else in the country, had been obtaining his training abroad.
The story of this physician, variously known as Dr. Martin and Hakim Workneh, is most romantic. Born in October 1865 of a good family, he was not yet 3 years of age when his parents, along with other prominent people of Gondar, were seized by Emperor Tewdros and taken with their families to his fortress at Magdala. On the arrival of the Napier expedition not long afterwards, the child was found wandering away from his parents and was assumed by the British to be lost. He was therefore annexed by Colonel Charles Chamberlain, of the 23rd Indian Pioneer Regiment, who took him back with him to India and kept him at his home in Rawalpindi. The colonel died in 1871, after which the boy was dispatched to the mission school at Amritsar, the expense of his education being met by one of their number, Colonel Martin. The missionaries christened the boy Charles after the colonel who had brought him to India and Martin after the one who paid for his education.

Written by Dr. Girma Abebe   ​

Written by Efrem Alemayehu M.D   ​

After graduating from the Addis Ababa University Medical School, we (the present members of Hakim Workeneh and Melaku Bayan Society) left Ethiopia for North America in the late 70s and early 80s. We left our beloved Ethiopia to further our education because of political unrest and other personal reasons. We left Ethiopia during the rainy winter, or in the summer time, a season filled with plenty of sunshine and comfort. Global warming and environmental degradation have changed the climate of Ethiopia from what it was then. Many are dealing with harsh and extreme weather conditions. But I digress. We landed in various parts of the U.S. and Canada, in the scorching heat of the summer or in the bone-piercing cold winter. Because of the newness of the season, we accepted winter with excitement. Many of us who settled in areas with snow have winter stories to tell. Let me tell you mine, as it will give you a glimpse of my early life in Canada. ​

Written by Abebe Haregewoin, MD, Ph. D. ​

Every society deserves a character that is at the center of this story. Even the most conservative societies need someone who thumbs his nose at what is considered sacrosanct and sacred and out of limits to either derision or negative commentary from the vast majority. This is always a sign of a healthy society – magnanimous toward eccentricity and tolerance toward members of society who sing to a different tune and march out of sync with the most common beliefs of most members of their society. In some societies such acts can have severe consequences, which may include stoning, or some such unpleasant acts by the conventional hordes in the belief that this will ensure the favor of God or the King or even other members of their society who are inclined to nod in approval at their outrage against the unlucky ones who end up being the individuals on whom society has to prove its point of, “Thou shalt not…” In the modern age in the so-called enlightened societies the media may take its pound of flesh if such a personality is worth their time and ultimately their economic interest. ​

Written by Dr. Zergabachew Asfaw  ​

It is a great pleasure to present Professor Edemariam Tsega as a pioneer in Ethiopian medical education. He single handedly introduced post graduate program in Internal medicine in Ethiopia and served his nation with great distinction for over forty years. He completed his primary education at Haile Sellssie I school in Gondar and his secondary education at Haile selassie I secondary school in Addis Ababa. He graduated from university college of Addis Ababa with bachelors degree in science in 1961 and then he joined McGill University where he got medical degree in 1965. He studied at London school of hygiene and tropical medicine in 1968. He did not want to stop there and even after becoming professor of medicine he eared PhD from Lund university, Malmo, Sweden. His qualifications are immense.
​

​Written by Fassil Teffera   

Many moons ago, I was assigned to work at Jijiga hospital. As it was customary at the time one GP is assigned to a hospital of whatever size, with some nurses and several Health assistants. I did the outpatient clinic daily and in patient rounds and minor surgery as well. I also did difficult deliveries though most of the deliveries were made by the competent Health Assistants who must have done thousands before I came to the scene.
I had a wonderful staff of Nurses, Health assistants, Lab and X-ray techs. We were supported by dedicated ancillary services and administrative staff. Of course, we had our dose of Political Cadres who carried their weekly indoctrination of the superiority of the Socialist mode of production over the Capitalist one.
One Friday, a giggling Health Assistant came and told me that a bride is coming to be seen by me, prior to her wedding night. I did not understand what it meant. She told me the Somali men bring their bride to the hospital prior to the anticipated wedding night. I still did not understand the whole idea. The Health Assistant noted my confusion and re assured me that everything will be fine and she will help me handle the issue as she had done with many others before.
Sure enough, there walked in a very handsome bridegroom and his beautiful bride with beaming smile in their beautiful weeding dresses. They got registered and the bride was brought to the OR by the nurses and Health Assistant, and undressed and put on an OR gown.
They all giggled saying that I will be the first man to see the bride even before the bridegroom. The lady was put on the table and the staff explained to me what to do. As it was customary in Somali culture all girls had sutures placed over their vulva thereby completely blocking the vagina except for a small whole for the urine to dribble thru. This was a protection from in inadvertent or deliberate pre marriage sexual performance.
After the lady was put on lithotomic position we figured out where the small hole was located, which was at the distal aspect of the vaginal opening which allowed only a small finger to be passed. The local lady sureon had done a good job of suturing the labia majora of a baby girl around the age of three and completly blocked and entrance or exit from the vagina.This was done to protect the girl and the family from future embarassment.

Written by Abebe Haregewoin   ​

​Written by Abebe Haregewoin   

​A very pretty teen age girl was brought to the emergency room at Fenote Selam Hospital in the middle of the night in a state of apparent uncontrolled shrieking alternating with strange gesticulations, shivering and writhing. Her hapless father with his eyes filled with terror was holding his daughter’s waist and trying to restrain her restless hands and fists from self inflicted injury. The poor man looked totally exhausted from his struggle from this sylph of a girl, who seemed to have endless and uncontrollable power of an angry lioness. There was also a rope tied to her waist and gripped by her father’s gnarled peasant fists, apparently to prevent her from running away and do herself grievous harm. It was apparent from the red and bleeding welts on her face and exposed chest that she has been scratching and beating her face and chest uncontrollably. A couple of scratches on the father’s cheeks and nose revealed that he has also been a victim of her tireless nails and fists. Her poor mother, a scrawny little thing herself, was weeping uncontrollably from blood shot eyes. She was also making her own scene, by wailing for her daughter as if she was already dead. Her heart rending funereal tunes which were only interrupted whenever she frequently blew her profusely runny nose was the only respite from the impromptu mother and child tragic opera and drama.The trio was surrounded by bedraggled, younger and older siblings of the sick child, uncles, aunts and villagers of all sizes and shapes. Some were weeping and all looked miserable. From the bags of supplies they were holding it was apparent that they had travelled from a long and harrowing distance to come to the hospital.

​There has been a health education program launched  at St.  Mary of Zion  Church located in  Yonkers, New York, attended by Ethiopians.  The program has been going on for the last one year. The purpose is to promote wellness and health  among the Ethiopian community.  The  teaching is given at least once a month by doctors and has professionals residing in New York. The topics covered include preventive health education and chronic diseases that include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, kidney disease etc. The program  is coordinated by Helena Yigezu RN and Fassil Teffera M.D.