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Dr. Fekede A. Debel
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Quick Insights
• 1,050+ cardiac surgeries performed
• Leadership in locally sustained cardiac surgery programs
• Founder of a cardiac charity serving disadvantaged patients
• Multiple peer-reviewed publications in international cardiothoracic journals
• International conference presentations and moderation roles
• Regional leadership role in pediatric cardiac surgery organizations.
Selected Career Milestones
• Contributed to the development of locally led open-heart surgery programs in Ethiopia.
• Performed over 1,050 cardiac surgeries, including complex adult and pediatric procedures.
• Successfully led Ethiopian cardiac teams in performing complex procedures, including
o Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) o Valve repair and replacement surgeries
o Combined CABG and valve procedures
o Redo valve surgeries
o Surgical treatment of complex cardiac tumors.
• Developed significant surgical experience in the treatment of rheumatic valvular heart disease.
• Served as chief resident of general surgery.
• Department Head of Surgery at Hawassa University.
• Chief Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon at the Cardiac Center of Ethiopia.
• Associate Professor of Surgery at St. Paul Millennium Medical College.
• Adjunct Associate Professor at Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences.
• Founder and Board Chairman of Healing Valves Ethiopia.
Professional Affiliations , Membership & Additional Contributions
• World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery
• African Society of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery
• Regional Governing Councilor (East Africa) – Pediatric & Congenital Cardiac Surgery (5-year service)
• Ethiopian Medical Association
• Ethiopian Surgical Society
• Ethiopian Cardiac Society International
Academic Engagement Conference presentations:
• Association for European Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology (Switzerland)
• World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (USA)
• World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease
• World Summit for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery (Italy)
International webinar faculty presentations:
• World University for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery curriculum series.
Conference moderation:
• World Summit for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery.
Professional Overview
Dr. Fekede Agwar Debel is an Ethiopian cardiothoracic surgeon, academic physician, and healthcare innovator recognized for his role in advancing locally led cardiac surgery capacity in Ethiopia. Specializing in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery, he is among the pioneering Ethiopian surgeons helping establish sustainable open-heart surgery services performed by fully local multidisciplinary teams in a resource-limited healthcare environment. With more than 1,050 cardiac surgeries performed, his clinical work focuses particularly on rheumatic heart disease, a major cardiovascular burden in Ethiopia and across Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to his surgical practice, he contributes to academic medicine through teaching, research publication, and international scientific engagement.
Dr. Fekede is also the founder of Healing Valves Ethiopia, a non-profit initiative dedicated to providing life-saving cardiac valve surgeries for economically disadvantaged children while promoting awareness and prevention of rheumatic heart disease. His career reflects the emergence of highly specialized surgical expertise within Ethiopia’s domestic healthcare system and the growing role of local physicians in reducing dependence on external surgical missions.
Areas of Expertise
Adult cardiac surgery
Pediatric cardiac surgery
Rheumatic heart disease surgery
Valve repair and replacement
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Complex cardiac tumor surgery
Surgical outcomes research
Cardiac surgery program development.
Professional Services & Advisory
Clinical cardiac surgery services
Academic teaching and surgical training
Cardiac surgery program development
Research collaboration in cardiothoracic surgery
NGO leadership in surgical access programs.
Beneficiaries & Engagement Focus
Cardiac patients requiring complex surgical care
Children affected by rheumatic heart disease
Economically disadvantaged patients needing cardiac surgery
Medical students and surgical trainees
Ethiopia’s developing cardiac surgery ecosystem.
Education
Subspecialty Fellowship in Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences Bangalore, India (2014–2017)
Specialty Certificate in General Surgery Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2012)
Doctor of Medicine (MD) Gondar College of Medical Sciences University of Gondar Ethiopia (2005)
Clinical Research Training Certificate PASCAR Clinical Research Training Task Force (2023)
Selected Publications, Awards & Legacy Achievements
Books
• የልብ ጠጋኙ ማስታወሻ (Memoir in Amharic) – 2021
• Memoir of the Heart Surgeon (English version) – 2023 Selected Scientific
Publications (Principal Author)
• Heart surgery by local teams in resource-limited settings – JTCVS Open (2022)
• Mature teratoma in the right ventricle – Annals of Thoracic Surgery (2021)
• Outcomes of valve surgery for rheumatic heart disease – Cardiology of the Young (2020)
• Left ventricular aneurysm case study – Annals of Thoracic Surgery (2022)
Awards
Ethiopian Medical Association Merit Award (Young Influential Physician category)
Rising Star Award – People to People Global Ethiopian Diaspora Society (2021)
Dr. Fekede Agwar was recognized as an award recipient by the AATS Foundation on May 2, 2025, for his distinguished accomplishments in fostering careers and developing leaders.
He received the Health and Humanitarian Impact Award from the University of Gondar on July 15, 2025, in honor of his exceptional contributions to healthcare access and humanitarian efforts.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Health presented him with a Certificate of Special Recognition in November 2025 for his outstanding professional contribution to the health sector during the 27th Annual Review Meeting in Jimma.
Professional Journey & Contribution
Dr. Fekede’s professional journey reflects a transition from general surgery into highly specialized cardiac surgery at a time when Ethiopia had limited local expertise in this field. After completing his general surgical training, he pursued advanced subspecialty training in India, gaining exposure to high-volume cardiac surgical programs. Upon returning to Ethiopia, he became actively involved in strengthening local cardiac surgery services, working within multidisciplinary teams to expand procedural capacity and clinical outcomes.
His work has been particularly significant in addressing rheumatic heart disease, which remains one of the leading causes of cardiac morbidity among young populations in Ethiopia. Through both clinical care and research, he has contributed to improving understanding of surgical outcomes in resource-constrained environments. Through Healing Valves Ethiopia, he also works to close the access gap for cardiac surgery among economically disadvantaged patients.
Philanthropic Services
Community Service & Philanthropic Contribution
Dr. Fekede is the founder and board chairman of Healing Valves Ethiopia, a locally registered non-governmental organization focused on providing free life-saving cardiac valve surgeries to children affected by rheumatic heart disease.
The organization mobilizes volunteer Ethiopian cardiac professionals and promotes disease awareness and prevention strategies. Within its first years, the initiative enabled dozens of free cardiac surgeries for vulnerable patients who otherwise lacked access to treatment.
Platform Acknowledgment
Dr. Fekede Agwar Debel represents a generation of Ethiopian physician-specialists advancing complex medical care within the country through clinical excellence, academic engagement, and institution-building. His contributions to locally delivered cardiac surgery, combined with his commitment to expanding access for underserved populations, position him among the notable medical professionals contributing to the evolution of Ethiopia’s specialized healthcare capacity.
His ongoing work continues to reflect the growing role of Ethiopian specialists in developing sustainable, high-skill medical services within the national healthcare system.