Excavating The Soul Of Iconic Groote Schuur Hospital Africa with Dr Shaheem de Vries

At the foot of Table Mountain, sits Iconic Groote Schuur hospital. Although the name loosely translates to Big Barn in Dutch, Groote Schuur has distinguished itself as anything but, with six global firsts in medicine. These include the first human to human heart transplant, fallopian tube transplant and non-invasive brain tumor detection. As a premier tertiary academic hospital in South Africa, Groote Schuur is a beloved landmark in Cape Town. 

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The opportunity to have a conversation with Dr Shaheem de Vries, happened organically. Ruth’s long interest in the iconic Groote Schuur Hospital, had led her to an evening of conversation on Why It Matters that we should care about this institution.

Several months later, Dr Shaheem de Vries and Ruth have this conversation that reveals the layered manner in which he approaches leadership at the hospital, and why the soul of the hospital is a core focus in his management approach.

Shaheem’s childhood passion to be a First Responder evidently gives him a visceral response to medical care. At Groote Schuur the Universe has conspired to align him not only with the history and trajectory of the hospital, but very importantly with people who care deeply about giving first class medical care. In some outstanding cases, the best in the world.

Ruth revels at the quiet determination in Shaheem’s voice to participate in creating sustainable, democratic approaches to medical care in the Western Cape, for South Africa as well to play a contributory role in celebrating the continent's achievements in creating novel ways of delivering medical care.

Aware of the value of opportunity and good leadership, Dr Shaheem de Vries is unafraid to call out the narratives that hold us back as African people, and so mask the achievements made on the continent. Africans are not just great at sports. Africans are great at anything they set their minds to do well. And that includes offering World Class Medicine, right here, in Africa.

Twendeni, Africa is Ready!    

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