https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/dec/09/zimbabwes-only-female-heart-surgeon-on-medicine-misogyny-and-making-a-difference [p] Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/3Next imagePrevious imageToggle caption Skip to navigation Print subscriptions Newsletters Sign in US[ ] * US edition * UK edition * Australia edition * Europe edition * International edition The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian [ ] * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle Show moreHide expanded menu * [ ]News + View all News + US news + US politics + World news + Climate crisis + Middle East + Ukraine + US immigration + Soccer + Business + Environment + Tech + Science + Newsletters + Wellness * [ ]Opinion + View all Opinion + The Guardian view + Columnists + Letters + Opinion videos + Cartoons * [ ]Sport + View all Sport + Soccer + NFL + Tennis + MLB + MLS + NBA + WNBA + NHL + F1 + Golf * [ ]Culture + View all Culture + Film + Books + Music + Art & design + TV & radio + Stage + Classical + Games * [ ]Lifestyle + View all Lifestyle + The Filter + Wellness + Fashion + Food + Recipes + Love & sex + Home & garden + Health & fitness + Family + Travel + Money * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Support us + Print subscriptions + Newsletters + Download the app * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + Live events + About Us + The Guardian app + Video + Podcasts + Pictures + Inside the Guardian + Guardian Weekly + Crosswords + Wordiply + Corrections + Tips * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + Live events + About Us * World * Europe * US news * Americas * Asia * Australia * Middle East * Africa * Inequality * Global development A black woman in scrubs standing next to a bed in a hospital room [ ] Kudzai Kanyepi, the first and only Zimbabwean female cardiothoracic surgeon, at work at the trauma centre in Harare, Zimbabwe. Photograph: Cynthia R Matonhodze/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Kudzai Kanyepi, the first and only Zimbabwean female cardiothoracic surgeon, at work at the trauma centre in Harare, Zimbabwe. Photograph: Cynthia R Matonhodze/The Guardian Global development Zimbabwe's only female heart surgeon on medicine, misogyny and making a difference Despite the challenges of working in a healthcare system in crisis, Kudzai Kanyepi has resisted the temptation to move abroad Supported by theguardian.org About this content Farai Shawn Matiashe in Harare Tue 9 Dec 2025 03.00 ESTLast modified on Tue 9 Dec 2025 03.02 EST Share When Dr Kudzai Kanyepi qualified as Zimbabwe's first female cardiothoracic surgeon four years ago, she was filled with pride and anticipation after succeeding in an area long dominated by men. She was only the 12th woman in Africa to qualify in the field - four more have joined her since. Even now, with 100 operations under her belt, the reality of working in a role in which she confronts misogyny and discrimination daily has not dented Kanyepi's love of the surgical theatre. In South Africa, where she trained as a heart surgeon, she had been among other women medics , but when she returned home to Zimbabwe, she joined a tiny group of just four other cardiothoracic surgeons in the country, all of whom were male. "I was first treated with scepticism," she says. "Misogyny was not always said outright, but people had doubts. Everything was about proving myself again." I had to [do] double the amount of work as my male colleagues to prove that I know what I am doing Kudzai Kanyepi, cardiothoracic surgeon Kanyepi grew up in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, and says she was lucky that her mother was able to send her to some of the city's best schools. But it was a fluke that led her to turn to medicine. At the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo, she enrolled to study electronic engineering. But that class was full and the university could only accommodate her in medical classes. Her interest was ignited, and before long Kanyepi had transferred to the University of Zimbabwe to study for the degree her mother had always secretly believed she was destined for: medicine. In 2017 she moved to South Africa to train as a heart surgeon at Inkosi Albert Luthuli central hospital in Durban. "I remember the day I walked into the hospital. That was when my life changed," she says. A woman performing a surgery behind a screenView image in fullscreen Kanyepi says she has had to work twice as hard as male colleagues to prove herself. Photograph: Dr Kudzai Kanyepi Africa has a history of pioneering heart surgery. It was in Cape Town that Christiaan Barnard performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant in 1967. But despite cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death globally, responsible for 19.8 million deaths in 2022 - 80% of which occur in low- and middle-income countries, including in Africa - cardiothoracic surgery is high cost and unavailable in many countries, and there are continent-wide shortages of skilled surgeons and doctors. Dr Rajhmun Madansein, the head of cardiothoracic surgery at Inkosi, who trained Kanyepi, had also taught Lindiwe Sidali, South Africa's first African female cardiothoracic surgeon. Sidali, who qualified in 2018, became an inspiration and mentor for Kanyepi. "Whenever we needed to be put straight, Lindiwe was the big sister," she says. Kanyepi had just become a mother when she began her surgical training, having arrived in Durban nine months pregnant. "It was difficult to balance training and motherhood," she says. "But I had extremely strong family support - my mother. This allowed me to continue to pursue heart surgery. "I had to do as much as men when I was training. When I came back, I had to [do] double the amount of work as my male colleagues to prove that I know what I am doing." Even so, she adds: "In the private practice, there are people who simply do not refer [patients] to me because I am a woman. And they do not think the calibre of training I received is the same. There is this misconception that women have it easier." Kanyepi says this is the downside of being a pioneer in her field in Zimbabwe. "When people talk about the first female, they think it is all glamour, glory and excitement. But there is always the other side. You have to navigate being the only one," she says. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Global Dispatch Free newsletter Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features, opinion and photography, curated by our global development team Enter your email address [ ]Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion A woman stands with arms folded and a stethoscope around her neck in front of a reception desk with a red heart logo on itView image in fullscreen Kanyepi wants to establish a foundation to help girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to study medicine. Photograph: Cynthia R Matonhodze/The Guardian Kanyepi is determined to stay in Zimbabwe, despite the increasing challenges of working in a healthcare system in crisis and an exodus of doctors and nurses abroad in search of better pay and working conditions. UK warned that 15% cut to health fund will force 'impossible choices' on Africa Read more "It was tough when I came back to work under a limited healthcare system. But I believe I can do a lot with a limited system," says Kanyepi, who works at Harare's government-run Parirenyatwa hospital, which was visited by Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president, in June after a growing outcry at the state of the country's deteriorated health system. Kanyepi is now mentoring other trainees and wants to establish a foundation to support girls from disadvantaged communities to study medicine. "My passion is to eventually start a foundation to help young girls who want to be cardiothoracic surgeons and children who want to access cardiac surgery," she says. "Performing a heart surgery is inspiring because to perform heart surgery, you have to stop the heart. The machines take over. After surgery, the heart starts to beat again. That is the moment you realise the power of God." 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