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November 11, 2024

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Agnes Amidiong: The H in Healthcare Stands for Heart

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Agnes Amidiong: The H in Healthcare Stands for Heart

Overview:

  • Agnes’s journey reflects resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
  • Her early life challenges and personal experiences shaped her path toward healthcare.
  • Her ambition to improve healthcare standards in Uganda led her from nursing to pursuing a medical degree.
  • Supported by mentors and organizations, Agnes is committed to transforming Uganda’s healthcare system through positive mindset changes and ethical practices.

Childhood Hardships and Early Inspiration

Agnes was born in the Kumi district of eastern Uganda. She remembers her childhood being a flickering series of relocations due to her mother’s position as a sub-county chief. While being on constant move brought a sense of instability, Agnes was grounded by love and support from her family. But this world she held so dear shattered in 1998 when her father passed away leaving her mother widowed with eight children to raise, the youngest being Agnes’ only brother. 

Before tragedy struck, one of Agnes’s most cherished memories is of her father handing her a pencil and 200 Uganda Shillings with a heartwarming, “I love you, my daughter.” Though fleeting, this interaction left an indelible mark on her heart.

Agnes’s determination to pursue a career in healthcare was fueled by the medical negligence that led to her father’s death and the worries from the struggle she witnessed in caring for her brother, who suffered from asthma. Despite the dire financial circumstances, Agnes excelled in school, balancing her studies with household chores and caring for her siblings. Her mother’s unwavering support and her own drive for knowledge were the driving forces behind her determined chase of goals.

Transformative Encounters and Influences

Narrowing it down, Agnes recalls two encounters that profoundly impacted her career. Witnessing Dr. Fekade’s compassion and leadership at Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia ignited a spark within her. She wanted to inculcate his kindness and the way he worked with patients to broaden her impact. The second encounter was with Dr. Barbara Teltschik, a German Urologist, who taught Agnes the importance of high standards and positive mindsets in healthcare. She has held on dearly to these lessons. They have further solidified her desire to become a doctor who advocates for positive change in the Ugandan healthcare system.

Agnes-and-colleague-sterilizing-surgical-tools-
Image Credits: Girl Power USA

The Nurse to Doctor Pipeline

While becoming an accredited nurse indeed gave Agnes the start she needed in making her legacy, she found herself confined by limitations. She wanted to create more impact than her current role allowed her. Determined to overcome these boundaries, Agnes pursued a medical degree which promised a broader scope and access to more people and resources. While she was hampered by financial struggles, her resolve saw her through. She did small business whenever she could; from baking bread, to braiding hair, to molding bricks in an effort to raise tuition and continue her education.

Education and Early Career

Agnes’s educational journey is another testament to her character and perseverance. She knew pursuing education was her only way forward, an important message she recalls hearing from her mom. So she dedicated herself to her studies, excelling academically and securing bursaries through her hard work, alleviating the financial weight on her family in the process. 

Upon completing her primary and secondary education in rural schools, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science at the International Health Sciences University, supported by the Gretta Foundation Scholarship.

Her first role as a leader in the theater department taught her the importance of leading by example. Despite being inexperienced at the time, she was encouraged by her seniors to see it through. Her commitment led to significant improvements in patient care at the hospital where she was employed, earning the director’s praise in return.

Image Credits: Girl Power USA

Champion for Change: Challenges and Determination

Agnes’ professional journey was sometimes fraught with systemic issues like an outbreak of postoperative infections at her workplace. However, with her initiative and ability to propose solutions, Agnes led infection control measures and saved countless lives. Having gained experience in infection prevention at the hospitals where she worked, she was appointed as Chairperson of the Infection Control and Prevention committee.

Agnes shared her motivation through various challenges, “The pursuit for the transformation of the health care system in my country through mindset change keeps me working tirelessly because I hope every day that I may influence someone just as I was influenced by another’s actions”. 

Today, Agnes is a doctor driven by her unstoppable pursuit of a transformed healthcare system. Her belief is that positive mindsets are fundamental to achieving this goal. 

With her expertise, she hopes to do research in the future into the mindsets of medical students in Uganda as well as patients to identify areas that need improvement. She also wishes to raise awareness of and promote patient rights so that nobody has to fall victim to the injustices of medical malpractice. To constitute tangible change, she aims to one day launch a training center for medical healthcare professionals that focuses on ethics and integrity.

Memorable Moments

Agnes recalls one of her most memorable patients; a girl who connected with her immediately upon arriving at the hospital. She had endured a heartbreaking journey through the medical system. She suffered from a rare condition where she lacked a vagina and uterus due to undeveloped embryonic development. Tragically, she had been misdiagnosed multiple times and subjected to unnecessary and expensive surgeries. These included one where a doctor falsely claimed to remove fibroids from a nonexistent uterus. Too many hospitals and specialists have been driven by monetary intentions rather than genuine care. It wasn’t until she met Dr. Fekade at the rural hospital (where Agnes worked at the time) that the patient was finally treated at no cost. This encounter further made Agnes see the impact of professional malpractice and the importance of ethical healthcare

Agnes finds fulfillment in the deeply human connections she fosters with her patients; saving lives, seeing the smiles of patients as they are discharged, receiving heartfelt hugs during follow-up visits, and the ultimate honor of having a baby named after her by a grateful family.

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Image Credits: Girl Power USA

 Legacy and Reflections

Agnes hopes to be remembered for her efforts to transform Uganda’s healthcare system through mindset change and ethicality. Her philosophy is built on the power of positive thinking, advocating that leaders play a crucial role in influencing these mindsets. Her personal experiences as a mother and healthcare provider continually motivate her. Agnes fondly tells us that knowing that her children look up to her as a role model is one of the best parts about doing what she does.

Conclusion:

From a young girl in a big rural Ugandan family to a passionate figure working for healthcare transformation, Agnes’ life story is one of resilience, dedication, and unwavering commitment to making a difference. Like Agnes, we hope her story is an inspiration to many, and showcases that by sticking to your morals with determination, one can overcome immense challenges and be one of society’s changemakers for the better.

Girl Power USA

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