The Womanity- women in Unity Dr Amaleya had an interview with Dr Despina Demopolous
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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Despina Demopoulos, a leading paediatric intensivist and Head of Paediatrics and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. Dr. Demopoulos shared insights into her career, personal experiences, and vision for paediatric healthcare in South Africa. Her extensive career has included major hospitals in South Africa and the UK, such as Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital for Sick Children in London. Dr. Demopoulos also chairs the South African Paediatric Association and is an executive member of the South African Transplant Society.
Dr. Demopoulos was drawn to paediatric intensive care during her internship and specialization, particularly after an impactful rotation in the ICU at Baragwanath Hospital where she realized the immense potential to save children’s lives. She pursued a fellowship in paediatric ICU, a field she describes as an “absolutely amazing career”. Opening new paediatric units is a complex endeavour due to very limited resources in the country. Despite the challenges, she has been instrumental in establishing paediatric ICU beds in private hospitals, Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, and Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, driven by the significant need for specialized care for sick children in South Africa and Africa. She also emphasized the importance of supporting general paediatricians in remote areas through workshops, training, and direct advice.
One of her most memorable cases involved a one-year-old boy who, after oesophagus surgery, contracted a severe virus. Standard life support failed, leading to the use of ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), a high-risk bypass procedure for the lungs and heart. Against the odds, and with the support of his “amazing parents,” the child survived and recovered, a testament to advancements in medical care that would have been impossible just two years prior.
Dr. Demopoulos highlighted significant advancements in her clinical interests:
• Transplant: Progress in living donor transplants, particularly liver donations from related donors, has been groundbreaking in South Africa and Africa, where this skill is unique. She aims to advance social equality in access to these transplants, ensuring all children, regardless of insurance status, can benefit.
• Sepsis: New global guidelines have improved the detection of sepsis in children. She stresses the importance of educating doctors to recognize signs of sepsis and listen to parents, who often know when their children are unwell.
• Pain Management: Dr. Demopoulos is passionate about ensuring no child suffers pain. Her units utilize evidence-based scoring systems, considering vital signs, facial expressions, and interaction with parents, to assess pain, especially in children who cannot vocalize it. Management includes both medical and non-medical approaches like distraction. She emphasized the holistic approach in paediatric ICU, treating not just the child but also supporting the entire family.
A significant portion of the interview focused on her dedication to teaching and addressing educational inequalities across the country. As chairperson of the South African Paediatric Association (SOPA), she has worked to establish protected teaching time and electronic resource sharing to bridge the gap between well-resourced universities and rural areas. SOPA has also launched a junior mentorship program to connect experienced paediatricians with junior doctors, recognizing the critical need for passionate mentors, particularly for women in medicine.
Dr. Demopoulos offered candid advice to young doctors, especially women, considering paediatrics or paediatric intensive care. She stressed the importance of passion, as the field is emotionally demanding and requires dedication, often involving late-night calls. She openly discusses the challenges of balancing family life, emphasizing the need for a strong supp
Dr. Demopoulos was drawn to paediatric intensive care during her internship and specialization, particularly after an impactful rotation in the ICU at Baragwanath Hospital where she realized the immense potential to save children’s lives. She pursued a fellowship in paediatric ICU, a field she describes as an “absolutely amazing career”. Opening new paediatric units is a complex endeavour due to very limited resources in the country. Despite the challenges, she has been instrumental in establishing paediatric ICU beds in private hospitals, Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, and Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, driven by the significant need for specialized care for sick children in South Africa and Africa. She also emphasized the importance of supporting general paediatricians in remote areas through workshops, training, and direct advice.
One of her most memorable cases involved a one-year-old boy who, after oesophagus surgery, contracted a severe virus. Standard life support failed, leading to the use of ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), a high-risk bypass procedure for the lungs and heart. Against the odds, and with the support of his “amazing parents,” the child survived and recovered, a testament to advancements in medical care that would have been impossible just two years prior.
Dr. Demopoulos highlighted significant advancements in her clinical interests:
• Transplant: Progress in living donor transplants, particularly liver donations from related donors, has been groundbreaking in South Africa and Africa, where this skill is unique. She aims to advance social equality in access to these transplants, ensuring all children, regardless of insurance status, can benefit.
• Sepsis: New global guidelines have improved the detection of sepsis in children. She stresses the importance of educating doctors to recognize signs of sepsis and listen to parents, who often know when their children are unwell.
• Pain Management: Dr. Demopoulos is passionate about ensuring no child suffers pain. Her units utilize evidence-based scoring systems, considering vital signs, facial expressions, and interaction with parents, to assess pain, especially in children who cannot vocalize it. Management includes both medical and non-medical approaches like distraction. She emphasized the holistic approach in paediatric ICU, treating not just the child but also supporting the entire family.
A significant portion of the interview focused on her dedication to teaching and addressing educational inequalities across the country. As chairperson of the South African Paediatric Association (SOPA), she has worked to establish protected teaching time and electronic resource sharing to bridge the gap between well-resourced universities and rural areas. SOPA has also launched a junior mentorship program to connect experienced paediatricians with junior doctors, recognizing the critical need for passionate mentors, particularly for women in medicine.
Dr. Demopoulos offered candid advice to young doctors, especially women, considering paediatrics or paediatric intensive care. She stressed the importance of passion, as the field is emotionally demanding and requires dedication, often involving late-night calls. She openly discusses the challenges of balancing family life, emphasizing the need for a strong supp
