Oral History Archive Anisa al-Hefni

Dr. Anisa al-Hefni is an Egyptian woman pioneer of pediatrics and pulmonary diseases. She was a University Professor, and a Practicing Physician of pediatric pulmonology and immunology. She delivered a number of medical lectures across Egypt, in addition to serving as the Head of the Pediatrics Department at the Faculty of Medicine, and as the President of the Egyptian Society of Allergy and Immunology. Anisa was also Egypt’s national sports champion of golf and table tennis, and the university’s tennis champion. In the interview, Anisa al-Hefni spoke about her academic journey, her career in medicine, and her love for sports.

Anisa was born in Berlin, Germany, and came to Egypt at the age of three to reside in Garden City, Cairo. She grew up with her two sisters, Amina and Ratiba. Anisa’s elder sister Amina al-Hefni was the first Egyptian woman to work as an engineer since, at the time, girls were not accepted into the Faculty of Engineering. With her perseverance, Amina earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering, then a master’s and a PhD in business administration and productive efficiency from the USA. Anisa’s younger sister, Ratiba al-Hefni, was the Dean of the Arabic Music Institute. Their father, Dr. Mahmoud al-Hefni, traveled on a fellowship to study medicine in Germany, but soon quit to pursue his passion for music. He studied music academically, and earned a PhD in Ancient Egyptian Music. As for the mother, she was a German, but insisted that her daughters study the Arabic language. Anisa saw in her mother a role model in all aspects.

Anisa attended kindergarten for three years at a school in Garden City. During those years, she took part in the singing activities hosted by the Egyptian radio. When she entered the Orman Primary School in Dokki, Anisa became a member of the school’s acting team. She studied for four years under foreign teachers, before moving to Princess Fawqeya Secondary School in Dokki, which later became the Orman Secondary School. Anisa recalled the secondary school Principal Ms. Karima al-Saeed, saying, “she was a great woman, such a decent woman who earned everybody’s respect. We always tried not to upset her. We also feared her because she was strong and assertive, and had a strict discipline. Everybody in the school -students and teachers- followed the rules.”

Anisa studied under a number of foreign teachers, who used to teach some of the princesses at the palace. She was very keen on reading, and practicing basketball and table tennis, among other sports. Anisa had a strong passion for sports, and a desire to become a physical education teacher. She also loved the French language and considered becoming a French language teacher.

Anisa earned her high-school diploma, ranking at the eightieth place nationally, after studying for six years, unlike the boys who studied for five years only. Among her most influential teachers, Anisa recalled Khalida al-Hodaibi, describing her as, “an Egyptian woman who left her good mark on my life, and I admired her greatly.” Anisa also recalled some of her schoolmates, including Hanifa Fathy, as well as Ola and Afaf al-Sayfi who attended the Faculty of Medicine with Anisa. Anisa studied medicine to fulfill her father’s wish, saying, “I loved medicine only after I studied it. If I had the chance today to go back and join a different field, or live a different life, I would not change a thing. I would still study medicine. I would live my life exactly the same way I did it, from beginning to end.”

At the Faculty of Medicine, 250 students were in Anisa’s class, only 49 of which were girls. She studied under Dr. Ibrahim Kamal, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, among the many professors she cherished. Anisa graduated after five years, ranking at the fifth place among her graduating class. At that time, she was a national table tennis champion, and the university’s tennis champion. Anisa pursued further studies, and specialized in pediatrics. She earned a higher diploma and a PhD in pediatric cardiology, following in the footsteps of her cardiology professor, Dr. Atiya Aboud. Anisa suffered from allergic rhinitis, so when she was offered a scholarship in Germany, she decided to study and train in allergy and immunology.

Upon her return to Egypt, Anisa started her own private practice in pediatric allergy, then expanded the scope of her medical practice to include both adult and pediatric allergy. Anisa recalled a number of her colleagues who accompanied her during her medical journey, including Dr. Isis Mohamed Ghali, the endocrinology pioneer, Dr. Aamal al-Beshlawy, the hematology pioneer, and Dr. Nadia al-Badrawi, a partner in Nile Badrawi Hospital.

After her graduation, Anisa married Dr. Nour al-Deen Tarraf, who was a Prime Minister and an icon of the political opposition during the reign of King Farouk, and served as the Minister of Health in Gamal Abd al-Nasser’s cabinet, in addition to his membership of the Egyptian Parliament, and the Socialist Union Council. Anisa described her husband saying, “I had behind me a great man. Truly, he was such a great man. He never complained of staying by himself at home while I was in the clinic. He was never jealous of me reaching the top… the happiest time of my life was my married life.” Anisa and her husband had three sons: two doctors and an engineer.

Anisa asserted that being a woman was not the cause of any discrimination, or pose any hardships to her professional and work life. To the contrary, she enjoyed the tough competition with her male counterparts, saying “I even outperformed them. I never felt that a man could do better than a woman in anything. I study well. I read well. I travel abroad every year for my allergies.” Anisa al-Hefni expressed her pride in her journey and her unremitting contribution to medicine, as well as her colleagues’, stating, “as I told you, if I were to be born again, I would ask to live the same life one more time. I do not regret anything I have done. I am so happy and proud of everything I did. I always thank God for everything. I am patient and very pious.  I also lived a very happy life. Everything was meant to be. People know my name, you say. But so many doctors are well-known. When I look at my colleagues, I find so many successful physicians in their practices. They work and contribute, and some of them are younger than I am, and will be well-known in the future. Their work is already visible today.”