Prof. Michelle Wong – Head of Pulmonology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and WITS University

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Michelle Wong, who heads up the division of pulmonology at the University of the Witwatersrand as well as Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere and third largest in the world. We highlight the impact that Covid-19 has had on healthcare practitioners working on the frontline and address some of the interventions put into place, such as creating Covid and non-Covid teams, self-educating to navigate a new disease, instituting precautions to reduce infection amongst staff and patients. Looking beyond the medical space we recognise the social burden Covid-19 has exerted, particularly on children and women. We discuss women in leadership and consider enabling mechanisms and support structures that would contribute to women’s career advancement and allow them to embrace equal opportunities. Prof. Wong emphasises education as a source of empowerment and advocates life-long education to keep you at the edge of your game. Tune in for more…