The Pursuit of Health Podcast

During this episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast we pick up on our topic of Infertility as a Health Concern with a remarkably accomplished guest physician, Dr. Chrissy Guidry. After years of medical and surgical training in Louisiana, Ohio and California, she is now the Medical Director of the Emergency General Surgery & Advanced Trauma Life Support Service at Tulane Medical Center and the Associate Program Director of General Surgery at Tulane University. As an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Tulane School of Medicine she serves as a mentor and advocate for many young student physicians. Amongst her many accomplishments and innumerable services on professional committees, she has recently added a focus on addressing Female Infertility Amongst Physicians. She explains that she has been carrying out this effort in collaboration with the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) who has recently made a concerted effort to bring this issue out to the public and the medical profession. This began with an AMWA-sponsored Physician Fertility Summit at which Dr. Guidry was amongst the many guest physician leaders and speakers shedding light on this little discussed topic. 

During our visit with Dr. Guidry, she bravely shared with our audience her own personal issues regarding infertility so that others may know that they are not alone. She explains that Female Infertility amongst physicians is 3-4 times higher than the general population and that much research is needed to understand both the causes of this medical condition and how to best prevent and treat it. Dr. Guidry reveals many of the obstacles, biases and misconceptions regarding infertility and family planning amongst physicians. She stressed that this is an issue that can seriously affect women physicians and their families. She advocates for early awareness of this issue amongst those she mentors and her colleagues. Together, Dr. Fethke and Dr, Guidry agree that physicians wishing to have children are more well-rounded and healthy people when they are able to do so, thus improving their professional and personal lives. 

Through organizations like AMWA and RESOLVE, Dr Guidry is optimistic that the issue of Physician Infertility is now out in the open. She strongly believes that physicians have a unique platform to address this issue for themselves and the public at large in order to improve awareness and access to infertility-related medical care. She looks forward to a day when physicians can study and practice in environments that are supportive and proactive for all physicians who are in need of evaluating their fertility as a significant component of their physical and psychosocial health. Dr. Guidry poinantly finishes our fascinating and emotional discussion by emphasizing, “ It is time for this discussion to be out in the open so people know they are not alone.” 

Finally, Dr. Guidry wants everyone to be aware of the upcoming AMWA and RESOLVE sponsored three seminars occurring in February through April 2022 entitled Moving the Fertility Conversation Forward. 

We at the Pursuit of Health Podcast can be reached for audience feedback on this episode as well as past and future episodes. We can be reached at drfethkemd on Facebook and Instagram, as well as our website at drfethkemd.com. 

Refernces: 

1. Marshall AL, Arora VM, Salles A. Acad Med, 2020;95(5):679.
2. Stentz NC et al. J Womens Health. 2016;25:1059.J Womens Health (Larchmt)2016 Oct;25(10):1059-1065. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2015.5638.
3. Chandra A et al. www.cdc.gov/nchs/ data/series/sr_23/sr23_025.pdf.
4. Kemkes-Grottenthaler A. J Biosoc Sci. 2003;35:213
 5. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/health/women-doctors-infertility.html
 6. JAMA Surg 2021 Oct 1;156(10):905-915. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.3301. 

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

As we start 2022 we are honored to begin the second year of the Pursuit of Health Podcast with a very special guest - Dr.Tolu Bakare. She is an American Board Certified urologist with a special focus on Male Infertility. Currently she is an Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern where she cares for patients, teaches students and does clinical research. She is a graduate of the medical school at Penn State College of Medicine, after which she completed her General Surgery and Urology training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and finally a Fellowship in Male Infertility at the University of Illinois College of Medicine.

It is also notable that she is a woman of color in a male-dominated field of medicine who is intent on improving the diversity of physicians entering Reproductive Urology. She believes we need to open up her field to other female physicians of color in order to establish a more balanced representation of the community of patients she serves. 

Dr. Bakare begins the discussion with an introduction to the field of Male Infertility also referred to as Reproductive Urology. She outlines the statistics regarding the prevalence of Male Infertility which are strikingly similar to that of Female Infertility. Most importantly, she emphasizes that Male Fertility needs to be viewed by professionals and lay people alike as a legitimate disease worthy of the American health care system’s full attention.   

Dr. Bakare reviews the numerous social and medical misconceptions around Infertility in general and Male Fertility specifically.  This includes the inappropriate, harmful and overused application of testosterone treatments. She stresses that the best way to address Male Infertility is to approach it as a Family or Couple’s problem, not the fault of the individual man. Dr. Bakare wants everyone to know that “When we treat Male Infertility appropriately as a serious illness, we also are treating men’s overall health”. 

Dr. Bakare finishes our eye-opening discussion with her efforts to ensure that state-of-the-art training and medical care becomes the standard for all physicians treating Male Infertility. She reinforces the need to expand  the number of female and colored physicians in her field.  Only in this way does she believe that both high quality and equitable access to such quality care can be assured for everyone regardless of gender or race. Ever the optimist, Dr. Bakare sees a bright future for those treating people with Male Infertility.   

We at the Pursuit of Health Podcast wish Everyone a Happy New Year.  We look forward to a full line up of exciting guests with very provocative and stimulating discussions.  We can be reached through Facebook and Instagram @drfethkemd and soon on our website at drfethkemd.com.

References:

• Fainberg J, Kashanian JA. Recent advances in understanding and managing male infertility. F1000Res. 2019;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-670. Published 2019 May 16. doi:10.12688/f1000research.17076.1
• Roozbeh N, Amirian A, Abdi F, Haghdoost S. A Systematic Review on Use of Medicinal Plants for Male Infertility Treatment. J Family Reprod Health. 2021 Jun;15(2):74-81. doi: 10.18502/jfrh.v15i2.6447. PMID: 34721595; PMCID: PMC8520662.
• Krausz C, Riera-Escamilla A. Genetics of male infertility. Nat Rev Urol. 2018 Jun;15(6):369-384. doi: 10.1038/s41585-018-0003-3. PMID: 29622783.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

On Episode 18 Part 2 we present the final episode of our first year at The Pursuit of Health Podcast, while looking forward to much more content as we begin 2022.  We continue our important discussion on Domestic Violence with our guest, MacKenzie Bachar, the Advocacy & Education Director of Fearless! in New York's Hudson Valley.

Ms. Bachar works on the frontlines with survivors of Domestic Violence in all its forms and in collaboration with other community agencies such as the YWCA, legal professionals, and local law enforcement. She also focuses a significant portion of her efforts on educating our youth about the dynamics of Domestic Violence in schools, homes and the community at large. 

Ms. Bachar opens our minds and hearts to the dynamics of Power and Empowerment in the context of Domestic Violence. She thoroughly reviews the terminology and elements of Domestic Violence, encompassing its emotional, spiritual and physical impacts. The discussion takes an honest look at the disproportionate impact on women and marginalized members of society, including some astonishing statistics regarding murder and Domestic Violence.

As an educator and advocate, Ms. Bachar gives us a look into the future. She addresses the deep rooted, systemic causes of Domestic Violence, and highlights the need for public advocacy at all levels of society. She stresses that a focus on prevention is the only true means of eradicating Domestic Violence once and for all.

The discussion takes a more optimistic turn as Ms. Bachar explains that there have been both negative and positive impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the work in Domestic Violence, including improved access to services through technology. 

This immensely powerful session finishes by noting the issue of the Criminalized Survivors of Domestic Violence. This includes a fortunate and well-timed announcement for our audience who are invited to attend the recorded virtual Fearless Hudson Valley 2021 Gala where the honorees include Kim Dadou Brown, a Criminalized Survivor and Advocate whose work has culminated in the 2019 passage of the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act in New York State. 

We enter the New Year and embark on our second year of The Pursuit of Health Podcast  optimistic and energized because of our wonderful audience, guests and a growing production team. We extend a heartfelt Thank You for your support and wish you all well this holiday season. 

Upcoming topics will include the experiences of other countries with Gender Violence, the role of other Allied Medical Professionals, the impact of Infertility Medicine, and much more. 

Our team at The Pursuit of Health Podcast can be reached through Facebook and Instagram @drfethkemd and soon on our website at drfethkemd.com

Resources:
Fearless, Hudson Valley
280 Broadway, Newburgh, NY

• fearlessHV.org
• facebook.com/fearlesshv
• 24-7 Hotline: (845) 562-5340

References:

1. https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS
2. https://www.thehotline.org/identify-abuse/why-do-people-abuse/
3. https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/what-is-domestic-abuse
4. https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/ncadv_new_york_fact_sheet_2020.pdf
5. https://www.ywca.org/wp-content/uploads/WWV-GBV-Fact-Sheet-Final.pdf
6. https://www.nysfocus.com

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

On Episode 18 Part 1 we proudly and humbly present the final episode of the first year of The Pursuit of Health Podcast as we take a bold step into the emotionally packed subject of Domestic Violence. Our special guest is MacKenzie Bachar, the Advocacy & Education Director of Fearless!, Hudson Valley, New York. Ms. Bachar works on the frontlines with victims and survivors of Domestic Violence in all its forms and in collaboration with other community agencies such as the YWCA, police, and legal professionals. She also focuses a significant portion of her efforts on educating our youth about the dynamics of Domestic Violence in schools, homes and the community at large. 

Ms. Bachar shares her own professional journey from academia into the world of education and direct client services for individuals and families affected by gender, sexual and domestic violence. She opens up to the deep cultural roots of these problems that must be addressed. She gives us a wonderful insight to the evolution of Fearless! and the supportive legislation that has promoted and recognized the incredibly valuable and important work that her team and other professionals around the country carry out against all odds. She affirms that Education and Advocacy go hand-in-hand in the fight against this horrible affliction in our communities. 

Our guest provides us some much needed details about the scope and impact of Domestic Violence. She makes a very cogent argument that Domestic Violence negatively affects everyone in our society. She explains the emotional and psychological dynamics of Domestic Violence from the vantage point of both the perpetrator and the targeted person. Along the way she teaches us about the difference between Power used as a weapon to control someone and Empowerment as a means of prevention and survival.   

Ms. Bachar finishes Part 1 of our discussion by encouraging us all to become “Active Bystanders” when confronted with problems as pervasive and dangerous as Domestic Violence. She encourages us all to learn as much as possible about our own biases in this regard and to create forums for open and honest discussions within our homes and communities - with a special emphasis on Youth Education. She advises us to Start Early and Talk Early. 

Next time, in Part 2 of Episode 18, we finish our first year of the podcast by continuing our discussion with Ms. Bachar. She talks about the future of her team’s efforts to combat Domestic Violence and their renewed focus to approach this problem from the vantage point of a broad analysis of its ongoing cultural origins. 

Our team at The Pursuit of Health Podcast can be reached through Facebook and Instagram @drfethkemd and soon on our website at drfethkemd.com.

References

1. https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS
2. https://www.thehotline.org/identify-abuse/why-do-people-abuse/
3. https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/what-is-domestic-abuse
4. https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/ncadv_new_york_fact_sheet_2020.pdf
5. https://www.ywca.org/wp-content/uploads/WWV-GBV-Fact-Sheet-Final.pdf

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

For our 28th broadcast and episode 17 of the Pursuit of Health Podcast, your host, Dr. Eric Fethke, introduces a new format   - Case Studies from the Heart - where he takes the role of both host and commentator. In this format we ask our audience to share in the medical tradition of telling patient stories to learn and teach about illness.  Dr. Fethke invites us to use these Case Studies to go beyond just the details and look at the big picture of peoples’ health conditions, including the broader implications for the complex U.S. health system.  

For our first Case Studies from the Heart episode, we have decided to look at the topic on everyone’s mind - the Covid-19 pandemic. Now almost two years since Covid-19 appeared, and with the new delta and omicron variants in our midst, Dr. Fethke approaches this situation from a unique point of view. In searching for some of the root causes of our nation’s Covid-19 experience , he dares to take an introspective look back at the role physicians themselves may have played in the mishandling of the pandemic.   

Dr. Fethke does not claim to have all the answers or understand all the complex factors at play with the U.S. response to Covid-19. Instead he seeks to stimulate a vigorous and constructive dialogue so that together we may find solutions that will hopefully prevent repeat tragedies with future pandemics or natural disasters.  

We can be reached through Facebook and Instagram @drfethkemd and soon on our website at drfethkemd.com

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

For Part 2 of Episode 16 on the Pursuit of Health Podcast, we now continue the engaging conversation with physician mentor, leader and pioneer - Dr. Tyree Winters. 

Dr. Winters now serves as the Residency Program and Medical Student Clerkship Director, General Pediatric Residency, as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead Physician (Dept. of Pediatrics) at Goryeb Hospital of the Atlantic Health System. Amongst his myriad activities, he is also known for his energetic and engaging work as Dr. Tye the Hip Op Doc to tackle obesity and improve cardiovascular fitness for his followers. He is a cofounder of the ongoing Tour for Diversity in Medicine.  

Dr. Winters explains that his consistent calling to provide healthcare in underserved areas. He gives a clear account of the problems he sees - magnified by te Covid-19 pandemic - including the multifactorial causes of the Widening Health Disparities aggravated by lack of physician availability in communities of color. He shares his optimism for the future emboldened by communities of color stepping up to make change and have their voices heard - especially through the all important right to vote.  

He emphasizes that the pandemic has further heightened the often overlooked reality that we are all interdependent and must care for each other. As he has done in writing and through countless educational talks, he offers our audience some very poignant advice on How to Battle Racism in Healthcare.  

Dr. Winters and Dr. Fethke reflect on the role of the Affordable Care Act as an imperfect start to achieving healthcare equity, though much remains to be done in this regard.  They both agree that physicians need to return to the table to bring back the Art of Medicine which has sadly been overwhelmed by the Business of Medicine.  

Dr. Winters provides an honest reflection on the Innate Biases we all have as human beings tackling issues including racism in healthcare. He shares an insight into the complexity of thought within the  U.S. Black Community which he believes has been well depicted by Eugene Robinson’s book - Disintegration.  

We round out our amazing session with Dr. Winter’s account of his collaboration with other physician leaders to create the still active Tour for Diversity in Medicine started in 2012.   

You can follow Dr. Eric Fethke on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok @drfethkemd. (This episode will also be available in video format on Youtube @drfethkemd.) 

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

For this episode of the Pursuit of Health podcast we now return back to the U.S. shores from our prior journey to South Africa. We were fortunate to sit down with a wonderful physician  mentor, leader and pioneer in his own right - Dr. Tyree Winters. Dr. Winters began his medical career with the foundation of a BA degree in Psychology at the University of Michigan. He then completed his medical school education at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and his pediatric training at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio. He now serves as the Residency Program and Medical Student Clerkship Director, General Pediatric Residency, Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Atlantic Health System, and most recently the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead Physician, Dept of Pediatrics, Goryeb Hospital. Amongst his  myriad activities he is also known for his energetic and engaging work as Dr. Tye the Hip Op Doc to tackle obesity and improve cardiovascular fitness for his followers.  

On this Part 1 of a two part Episode 16 Dr. Winters takes a look back at the people who influenced his career choice to become a physician after growing up in Detroit in the 1980’s and 90’s.  Applying his Sociology and Psychology skills he paints a clear picture of the socioeconomic dynamics of Detroit at that time which created structural divisions along racial and economic lines. After briefly considering a healthcare career as a pharmacist, he soon returned back to Medicine with the support of an admissions officer who “could see the makings of a physician in me”.  

As he proceeded through his medical education and early career, his experiences awoke a drive in him to improve equity and diversity in Medicine. Over the years he acknowledges that there has been an awakening in the mainstream of an awareness that the traditional criteria to become a physician has been inappropriately exclusive and restrictive. He explains why there is an urgent need in American society for there to be more inclusiveness in the process that ultimately creates a physician.  

Dr. Winters finishes this part of our episode together by stressing the important role of empathy as a bridge to the experiences of others that ultimately leads to improved diversity and equity in all facets of our society, including the health profession.  This approach has become the foundation of his lifelong efforts to focus back on serving the healthcare needs of the underserved communities segregated by color, gender preference and poverty.  

Join us next time for the final Part 2 of this episode as Dr. Winters shares his work in medical education, administration, patient care and a wonderful outreach program that spans the nation.  

You can follow Dr. Eric Fethke on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok @drfethkemd. (This episode will also be available in video format on Youtube @drfethkemd.)

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

On the final installment of this three-part special episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast, we conclude our first venture outside the US. Our host, Dr. Fethke, continues the discussion with Mr. Sagie Pillay from his home office in Johannesburg, South Africa.  

Mr Pillay has an extensive worldwide education in healthcare policy and administration.  For over three decades he has served South Africa and the African continent through many leadership roles. He currently is the Chief Operations Officer at Wits Health Consortium, Johannesburg, South Africa.  

The discussion transitions from the backdrop of prioritizing the strong Diagnostic Testing infrastructure which Mr. Pillay helped to establish in Africa in response to the HIV, malaria and tuberculosis experience. This initially placed South Africa at the forefront of the world’s nations in terms of being able to identify and isolate people with Covid-19 in early 2020.  Initially this kept the number of Covid-19 cases and associated severe illness and deaths low, and thus their healthcare system was not overwhelmed.  

As the pandemic continued into 2021 the dynamics surrounding the approach to Covid-19 shifted way from the influence of science, public health and medicine  to the political and economic realm. Mr. Pillay believes that this tug of war for an all or nothing approach between healthcare and economics was the cause of the subsequent significant increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths manifested as additional waves. He argues that all sides should have come together to find common ground instead of digging in their heels and turning Biology into Politics.  

Both Mr. Pillay and Dr. Fethke agreed that during this Covid-19 pandemic the U.S. and South Africa once again found themselves sharing the harsh lesson that ignoring racial disparities is the Achilles heel that weakens both a nation’s health and economics. Mr. Pillay stresses that in a well functioning society, no person is more important than another. He concludes that the role of any government is to support its people by prioritizing education and public health so that they will not have to be faced with mandating interventions such as vaccines.  

As this amazing and in depth episode concludes, our guest summarizes the lessons he learned from his career beginning in the 1990’s. After rebuilding a nation, addressing HIV and now Covid-19, Mr. Pillay advises us that any future resilience to other such struggles can only be attained by improving Access to Healthcare for Everyone and Prioritizing the Human Factor - people as our most fundamental and important resource - as a value of society.  

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

On Part 2 of this three-part special episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast, we continue our first foray outside the US. Our host, Dr. Fethke, continues the discussion with Mr. Sagie Pillay from Johannesburg, South Africa.  

Mr. Pillay has an extensive worldwide education in healthcare policy and administration.  He has served South Africa and the African continent through many leadership roles. He currently is the Chief Operations Officer at Wits Health Consortium, in Johannesburg, South Africa.  

Mr. Pillay explains that during Apartheid the arrival of HIV in the 1980’s was not a priority for the minority ruling government. They considered it to be an affliction of the under class - the poor, the gay and the “non-white” community. As Apartheid fell and the new democratic government was forming, HIV was continuing to spread in the background. He stresses that, to best promote a strong healthcare system, the people of a democracy must put aside politics and be engaged in establishing their nation’s policies. He also recognizes the invaluable role that the private sector and international donations played to encourage the new government to step up to the plate and invest in public health and a healthcare infrastructure on behalf of everyone.  

Through the 1990’s, HIV in South Africa rose to staggering levels compared to the rest of the world. Gradually the concerted efforts of many institutions, including those lead by Mr. Pillay, came together. Mr. Pillay emphasizes that South Africa now lays claim to the largest nationally-run medical diagnostic system of any country. South Africa rose to the challenge as these diagnostic testing services supported one of the world’s most successful antiretroviral therapy programs and their HIV-related death toll began to significantly drop.   

Dr. Fethke and Mr. Pillay conclude the second part of this discussion by drawing attention to the perseverance that allowed the many disparate components of this young nation’s healthcare system to ultimately and recently come together as an effective weapon against infectious disease. They had to overcome so many concurrent obstacles including a relatively inexperienced new government, presidential denial of the realities of HIV, continued social inequities based on longstanding racial barriers and economic hardships. They both conclude that the HIV experience of the U.S. and South Africa should have served as a strong launching platform to address future pandemics such as Covid-19.   

In the upcoming final Part 3 of Episode 15, we dive deep into the current Covid-19 pandemic. Join us to see if these young nations applied or ignored our HIV legacy when addressing Covid-19.

 You can follow Dr. Eric Fethke on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok @drfethkemd
(This episode will also available in video format on Youtube @drfethkemd).

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4

On this special episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast we embark on our first venture outside the US. Our guest, Sagie Pillay, comes to us from the city of Johannesburg in the amazing country of South Africa.   

Mr. Pillay has an extensive worldwide education in healthcare policy and administration, and has studied on almost every major continent around the globe. He notably received his Masters in Health Economics, Management and Policy from London’s University of Leeds; a diploma in Senior Executive Leadership and Strategy from Harvard’s Business School; an MBA in Finance, Leadership and Change Management from Liverpool’s, London; and a degree in Adult Education from the University of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.  

He has served South Africa and the African continent through many leadership roles, including as an academic researcher in Health Economics and Financing at the University of Natal Medical School; the Directorship for Hospital Management Decentralization at the National Department of Health in the nation’s capital of Pretoria; the CEO of the Kimberly Hospitals Complex for the Department of Health and Welfare in the Northern Cape; the CEO of the National Health Laboratory Services; and the Founding Executive Director of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM). He currently is the Chief Operations Officer at Wits Health Consortium, Johannesburg, South Africa.  

In Part 1 of this 3-part episode, Mr. Pillay takes us through the history of independence and rebirth of his nation in 1990-1991 from the unique perspective of a healthcare leader on the frontlines. He shares the excitement and apprehensions during the first elections held by the leading party - the African National Congress - in this reborn nation.  

Now three decades later, he looks honestly upon his remarkable professional journey. Initially the concept of a personal future and his own career were not a priority as he and his compatriots put any pretense of self-fulfillment on hold until they could establish equitable self governance for everyone.   

Mr. Pillay emphasizes the unique evolution of the South African healthcare system as a critical part of the formation of this new government. Primary healthcare was intentionally positioned at the base of this system to address the needs of the majority and support the key elements of South Africa’s unique Freedom Charter. Most importantly, he recognizes that the resilience and strength of the country’s society was founded on a Trust established through a robust Public Health system.  

Mr. Pillay’s reflections on his first ventures away from academia and into public service through an unexpected leadership role in the new government are simultaneously filled with irony and gratitude. He shares the surprising story of his entry into the hospital system at the national level that forever changed his career path and helped shape the fortunes and well-being of his people.  

He credits the success of this now 30 year old reborn nation and his career to an approach and attitude that elevates and supports the Collective will and abilities of many individuals from different backgrounds and beliefs. By establishing Trust through such a Team Approach he believes South Africa is prepared to continue forward in the face of any odds.  

Dr. Fethke and Mr. Pillay conclude the first part of this discussion by recognizing the commonalities between South Africa and the US in their mutual struggles for healthcare reform.  They both conclude that these two relatively young nations have much wisdom to share with each other and the world at this pivotal time.  

On the upcoming Part 2 of Episode 15, Mr. Pillay teaches us about South Africa’s prominent and unique experience with HIV. Did their struggle with HIV prepare them for the Covid-19 pandemic? Join us next time to find out.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ericfethkemd and checkout my website at www.EricFethkeMD.com.

My brand new book, The Privilege of Caring, is out now on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP6H6QN4