The world’s first heart transplant was completed in Cape Town, South Africa
Postage stamp showing Dr Christiaan Barnard South Africa South Africa has paid homage to Dr Christiaan Barnard in many ways thanks to his groundbreaking medical achievements.
South African Dr Christiaan Barnard performed the world’s first heart transplant on 3 December 1967 at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. The groundbreaking surgery was carried out on Louis Washkansky and Dr Barnard was assisted by a large and exceptional team of surgeons, nurses and technicians.
Dr Barnard has assistance from a number of people during the years of his work, including Hamilton Naki, a black laboratory assistant who had worked previously as a gardener and went on to work in the animal laboratory at the University of Cape Town.
He had assisted Dr Barnard with research leading to the transplant. In the apartheid days, Naki had no access to higher education due to his race. Despite being unable to access formal training, he learned from and assisted university researchers and went on to do amazing work.
Travel tip: You can visit the Heart of Cape Town Museum for more insight into this groundbreaking moment in medicine.
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