Meet Dr. Lydia Kilani

Dr. Kilani began her medical studies at the University of Cape Town where she obtained her Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery in 2008.

Tenacious and Goal-Oriented

Dr. Kilani spent her free time in theatre assisting as much as possible. Her love for surgery grew into a passion as she completed her internship at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

At Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Dr. Kilani embraced her role and took on the responsibility of running the minor operation list. This gave her the opportunity to spend as much time as possible in theatre absorbing knowledge and expertise from some of the best professors.

Community Service and Impact

Dr. Kilani’s community service year was spent in a small clinic in the West Rand where she was instrumental in the setup of a male circumcision centre.

This experience gave her tremendous insight into the challenges communities face, and how to galvanize them around important healthcare issues.

Specialization

She completed her postgraduate general surgical training through the University of Witwatersrand from 2013-2018.

The University of Witwatersrand is renowned for its world class surgical specialty training. Its graduates leave equipped with indepth clinical knowledge and experience to contribute positively to the unique medical climate in South Africa.

During the 5 years of rigorous specialization, she developed a passion and keen interest in breast and trauma surgery. She also gained invaluable and extensive experience in a range of surgical diseases and perfected her use of modern surgical techniques.

Currently, Dr. Kilani works as a specialist surgeon at Life Wilgeheuwel Hospital.

International Experience

Dr. Kilani has a relationship with the Swedish military and is part of a multinational team of health care professionals who provide trauma care to the Swedish soldiers in combat areas.

She has provided medical care to troops in the worn-torn regions of Timbuktu, Mali, and Mogadishu, Somalia.

Dr. Kilani believes that healthcare should be a basic human right. Her participation as a trauma surgeon on these excursions, along with other outreach projects, is testiment to her ongoing commitment to providing accessible healthcare to people from all walks of life.