South Africa: Straight From the Heart - - Professor Karen Sliwa-Hahnle's Cardiac Care Crusade
[Daily Maverick] Professor Karen Sliwa-Hahnle shares frontline insights from decades in public service on Africa's silent killer - hypertension - and why a simple blood pressure check could save your life. Also, her plan for olive oil and plastic, if she were president.
South Africa's cardiologist Professor Karen Sliwa-Hahnle has dedicated her career to fighting hypertension, Africa's silent killer. With an impressive 872 publications to her name, most of them peer-reviewed, Sliwa-Hahnle is the most prolific cardiologist on the continent. As a professor of cardiology at Groote Schuur Hospital and Director of the Cape Heart Institute at the University of Cape Town, she specializes in heart failure, structural heart diseases, and cardiac disease in pregnancy.
Sliwa-Hahnle's research, conducted with limited resources, has resulted in a medical therapy for heart disease in pregnancy, saving countless lives. Her true passion lies in serving the patients in the public sector, not just treating them, but also helping them navigate social grants and providing emotional support. Despite the challenges of chronic illness, Sliwa-Hahnle notes that her patients remain positive and resilient, never letting their condition dampen their spirits.
If she were to become South Africa's president, Sliwa-Hahnle would champion the cause of olive oil and plastic, using her platform to promote healthier lifestyles and tackle environmental issues.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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