An obstetrician and a lawyer? That's Dr Faith Ngambu

Dr Faith Ngambu is an obstetrician and gynaecologist who aims to complete her sub-specialisation in maternal foetal medicine at the University of Pretoria. She is proposing to do research on the impact of herbal medicine on the development of cerebral palsy in infants.

Born in the rural village of Willowvale in the Eastern Cape, she matriculated at Nozuko Senior Secondary School in Mthatha and did a BSc degree in botany and zoology at the then University of the Transkei, today Walter Sisulu University. She then went on to study medicine, which she completed in 1996.

"My decision to become a doctor was dominated by my passion for helping people," says Dr Ngambu. "My mother also inspired me. She was a widow raising four children on a nurse's salary. She had so much love in her - there is nothing she would not have done to see her children succeed."

"I couldn't find a female gynaecologist for myself"

After working for several years as a medical officer at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth, Dr Ngambu decided to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology, which she completed in 2005. What inspired her choice? During her second pregnancy, she could not find a female gynaecologist in the area. "I think women sometimes just have a better understanding of what other women go through," she says.

For the vast majority of people, that would be a sufficient achievement for one lifetime. But not for Dr Ngambu, who, after years in private practice and working at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Durban, decided to do a legal degree and ended up with an LLM, majoring in bio-ethics and medical malpractice.

Expert testimony in court

"Gynaecologists and obstetricians in public and private practice are often sued by patients when they think there was some negligence during the birth process. It got to the point where people hesitated to specialise in this field," Dr Ngambu explains.

"Some cases have merit," she acknowledges, "and others don't. As I have both legal and medical knowledge, I am often called to give expert testimony for the health department."

A doctor first. Always.

But she says, she is a gynaecologist and obstetrician first, and this is where her passion lies.

"My field has given me opportunities to care for the most vulnerable of society. I also do community obstetrics outreach for high-risk pregnancies. It gives me the pleasure and satisfaction of seeing a mother and baby do well. I also assist medical staff with management and I teach medical students, nurses and doctors who are specialising in this field," she adds.

It is this interest that has inspired her to sub-specialise in maternal foetal medicine at the University of Pretoria. Her specialisation is sorely needed in KwaZulu-Natal, where she has worked for many years. Maternal foetal medicine specialists often deal with women who are experiencing high-risk pregnancies. She will be doing research on factors contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes in a referral hospital in the Eastern Cape.

Discovery Foundation Award serves communities

"I thought it was a hoax," she says about receiving the mail about her success in applying for a grant from the Discovery Foundation . "It was only when the head of my faculty confirmed it that I realised it was indeed true. I was so happy, as it removed all obstacles to sub-specialising for me. It will make a difference both in my life and in the communities that I look forward to serving."

Amazingly, when she is not studying or seeing patients, Dr Ngambu still finds time for some of her favourite activities, which include viewing wildlife, cycling with the family, and sewing.

This article was created for the 2020 Discovery Foundation Awards and has been edited for the Discovery Magazine. It was previously published in The Herald.