New doctors on board at Empangeni hospital

AFTER making the trek to Zululand to share their expertise and skills in their respective departments, Doctors Johan Moolman and Thabiso Mtambo are settling in comfortably at Life Empangeni Garden Clinic.

This follows moves from the bustling public service fields at Durban’s King Edward Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital respectively.

Specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Mtambo arrived in Empangeni earlier this year to work with his mentor Dr Mayat at the Lower Umfolozi War Memorial Regional Hospital.

He was soon approached by Life Empangeni Garden Clinic and made the bold decision to join their surgical team.

‘It’s a very different environment, but I have built a strong relationship with my patients and have received a great response,’ said Mtambo.

His first time in private practice, Mtambo’s journey began at UKZN where he completed 11 years of studying.

‘While working at the Medical Research Council, a friend of mine approached me about becoming involved in gynaecology.’

‘After completing my exams, I finally accepted that this was the path I wanted to take.’

Orthopaedic

After growing up in Ladysmith, Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr Moolman left the farm life to study Metallurgical Engineering and then changed to medical studies in 1993.

After 13 years of academic study at the Universities of Pretoria and the Witwatersrand, he developed an interest in plastic and reconstructive surgery and spent time specialising at the Oxford University Hospital’s Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre before moving to a management position at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital’s Lower Limb Trauma Division.

‘After being approached by Life Empangeni Garden Clinic, my wife and I decided to move our family, in order to raise our children in an environment more conductive to family life,’ said Moolman.

Moolman’s family will be joining him in December to begin their new adventure in the heart of Zululand.