Dr. Amaka Patricia Ehighibe is a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Head of the Plastic Surgery Unit at Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja. A Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons, certified cleft surgeon, Global Surgery Fellow of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and currently a hand fellow at the Kleinert Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, her clinical practice spans the entire spectrum of reconstructive plastic surgery, including cleft lip and palate, congenital hand deformities, hand injuries, burn care, breast reconstruction, and aesthetic body procedures. In this interview, she speaks on her drive, passion, and interests, especially working in a male-dominated space.
Journey into a Male-Dominated Field
As a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Head of Unit at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Dr. Ehighibe describes her journey as interesting. During her training, combining having children with the rigorous schedule of a surgery resident was challenging. She experienced severe illness during pregnancies and had to take time off work, which reduced her postpartum leave. She returned to work when her second child was barely two months old, and despite storing breast milk, her milk production declined once she resumed work. She felt significant maternal guilt but eventually accepted that exclusive breastfeeding was not feasible at that time. Her child is now 10 and healthy. She was fortunate to have supportive colleagues who treated her as a surgeon, unlike some female surgeon friends who faced condescension from superiors. However, patients often assumed she was a nurse, student doctor, or health assistant. Even as a consultant, some patients ask when they will see her boss. She learned not to try to be a man but to embrace being a woman in surgery by being competent, precise, firm, and compassionate. She found camaraderie with other women in similar positions and laughed at moments when she had to leave her child with a nurse to attend an emergency. She credits a supportive family and mentors for her success and is committed to paying it forward.
Unspoken Pressures and Expectations
Dr. Ehighibe notes a constant expectation to prove herself. While male colleagues could express anger without judgment, her emotions were often attributed to hormones. She learned to think through issues thoroughly so that her arguments were based on logic and not perceived as influenced by her menstrual cycle.
Reconstructive Surgery Beyond Cosmetics
She clarifies that plastic surgery is often misunderstood as purely cosmetic. More than 90 percent of her practice is reconstructive surgery, which is what the average Nigerian needs. She is passionate about burn prevention and treats burns, chronic wounds, and hand injuries at Federal Medical Centre Abuja. Cleft lip repair, which drew her to plastic surgery, remains rewarding due to its transformative impact on children and their families.
Access to Reconstructive Surgery in Nigeria
As a certified cleft surgeon and Global Surgery Fellow, Dr. Ehighibe emphasizes that access to reconstructive surgery is essential for improving quality of life. For patients with cleft lip and palate, burns, trauma, congenital anomalies, and cancer-related defects, surgery is not optional but essential healthcare. Timely surgery for cleft patients improves feeding, speech, hearing, dentition, facial growth, psychosocial wellbeing, and social acceptance. In underserved communities, lack of access leads to stigma, school exclusion, malnutrition, and reduced economic opportunity. She advocates for health equity through outreaches, primary health care integration, referral pathways, community education, and training local teams.
Global Recognition for African Women in Medicine
Dr. Ehighibe earned the AAPS John Constable Award, which she sees as global validation for African women in medicine and surgery. International recognition affirms competence, resilience, and the ability to contribute to global healthcare. It challenges stereotypes and inspires younger women to pursue surgical careers. She stresses that validation should include true inclusion in knowledge generation, leadership, and decision-making. African women bring unique perspectives shaped by local disease burdens and resource limitations, which are essential for equitable global health solutions.
Structural Barriers for Women in Surgery
Dr. Ehighibe identifies underrepresentation and lack of visible female role models as major barriers. Surgery has traditionally been male-dominated, and leadership pathways often exclude women from mentorship and sponsorship. Work-life balance and societal expectations place disproportionate caregiving responsibilities on women. Implicit bias and gender stereotypes lead to questions about competence and commitment. She has experienced situations where assertiveness in women is judged differently. She calls for incorporating gender equity into health workforce policy and surgical system strengthening, as diverse leadership improves mentorship, workforce sustainability, and patient care.
Healthcare Inequality Exposed Through Outreaches
Through surgical outreaches, Dr. Ehighibe has seen how limited financial autonomy and sociocultural factors affect women's healthcare decisions. She recalls a child with perineal burns suspected from abuse; the father threatened to abandon the mother and child when she probed. The mother feared homelessness if she stayed. They eventually secured help, but many similar cases have different outcomes. For children, conditions like cleft deformities, burns, and congenital anomalies are treatable if identified early, but families often lack awareness or access. She emphasizes that healthcare inequality involves equity, education, and system organization, not just infrastructure. Outreach work highlights the need for services closer to communities, stronger referral systems, and sustainable local capacity building.
