29-year-old, Onazo Daniso has achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a medical doctor after graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
Onazo’s journey to this moment began in Lusikisiki, a small town in the Eastern Cape, where she was raised and first witnessed the struggles of rural communities in accessing proper healthcare.
From an early age, she knew she wanted to become a doctor. But like many children with big dreams, she often faced mockery and doubt.
”I have always wanted to be a doctor. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love my job and think I would have been miserable doing something else,” she said.
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When she reached Grade 11, her physics teacher asked her what she planned to study after matric. She casually replied, “Food technology.” But her teacher’s response changed everything. He told her she had the potential to study medicine.
That conversation reignited her dream, and she applied for medical school. Onazo met the requirements, but her application was rejected.
Left with no choice, she accepted an offer to study nursing at the University of the Free State. Her nursing journey started in 2014, but she faced some challenges along the way, especially financial difficulties.
Trying her luck, she reached out directly to the university’s vice-chancellor. Though her request was initially approved, her first-year fees were eventually cleared, and a private bursar stepped in to sponsor her from her second year.
Later on, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme took over, supporting her final two years. By 2018, she had completed her degree and began her mandatory one-year community service.
Although she had become a nurse and was finally earning an income, Onazo still felt something was missing. “I always told my colleagues I would return to study medicine,” she recalled.
“I needed to do more. I wanted to be part of the decision-making process in patient care,” she added. But leaving nursing behind was also not so simple.
Her bursary required her to work for three years after graduation. Determined, she began saving aggressively, putting aside most of her salary every month. By the end of the year, she had saved enough to repay the bursary and register for medical school.
In 2019, Onazo began her medical degree at UKZN, and funding still remained a constant challenge. She took on part-time nursing shifts to make ends meet.
Another challenge she faced was when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the pressure only intensified. Hospitals were overwhelmed, and Onazo found herself working in high-risk wards—what many called the “red zones.”
“In December, I was working six night shifts a week in a private hospital with just one day off. So many patients died. I can still remember their faces. I hated how powerless we were,” she said.
Eventually, the emotional toll caught up with her. She took a step back from nursing to focus on her mental health. But the pandemic, rather than discouraging her, deepened her commitment to becoming a doctor.
Even with academic and financial pressure, she found time to lead and serve others. She joined the Student Representative Council in the 2021/2022 academic year and went on to become the final year class representative and committee chairperson.
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