Dr. Coovadia is a medical gastroenterologist, trained in diagnosing and managing diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas.
After completing his schooling in Canada, Dr. Coovadia moved to Cape Town to complete his undergraduate medical training at the University of Cape Town. Upon graduating, he completed his internship and community service at New Somerset Hospital, Mapongwana Clinic and Lenteguer Hospital respectively. Additionally, Dr. Coovadia rotated at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital where he received valuable training in paediatrics.
In 2011, Dr. Coovadia was awarded an 18-month fellowship in Allergology, and was one of the first South African doctors to undergo dedicated specialized training in Allergology, under the direct tutorage of world-renown allergist, Professor. Paul Potter. Following the completion of his fellowship, he was awarded the Diploma in Allergology by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.
Dr. Coovadia then went on to specialize in Internal Medicine at Stellenbosch University. After completing his Masters in Medicine degree, and obtaining a Fellowship in the College of Physicians of South Africa, Dr. Coovadia further sub-specialized in medical gastroenterology. During his fellowship, Dr. Coovadia was trained in advanced endoscopic procedures. He was awarded the Certificate in Gastroenterology (Phys) in May 2019. Dr. Coovadia is currently completing a Masters in Philosophy in Gastroenterology, where he and his team are describing a novel minimally invasive endoscopic voice restoring procedure for patients who underwent total laryngectomies for laryngeal cancer.
Dr. Coovadia is an active member of the South African Gastroenterology Society, where he is often is invited to deliver lectures at regional and national gastroenterology meetings. He remains a member of the Faculty of Health Sciences, at Stellenbosch University and is involved in the training of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. Dr. Coovadia, in addition to working at Mediclinic Panorama, also serves as a consultant for the Division of Gastroenterology at Tygerberg Hospital.
He was been awarded Best Registrar at Stellenbosch University in 2013, and in 2017 and 2018, he was awarded the second and first prizes respectively at the South African Gastroenterology Society Congresses for his work in Hereditary Angioedema in the Western Cape and on his novel endoscopic procedure – PESVI (per-oral endoscopic retrograde speaking valve insertion) respectively. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications, and has authored a chapter in the ALLSA Handbook of Practical Allergy.
During his spare time, Dr. Coovadia is a family man who loves travelling and spending time with his family and friends. He is a die-hard football fan who still enjoys playing football in his spare time.
2004 MBChB | Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, University of Cape Town |
2012 Dip Allerg (SA) | Diploma in Allergology, Colleges of Medicine of South Africa |
2017 MMed (Int) | Masters in Medicine (Internal Medicine), Stellenbosch University |
2017 FCP (SA) | Fellow of the College of Physicians, Colleges of Medicine of South Africa |
2019 Cert Gastroenterology (SA) | Certificate in Gastroenterology, Colleges of Medicine of South Africa |
Our Practice Manager, Yasmina Hamdulay, leads our team with a passion for excellence. Yasmina's commitment to operational efficiency makes her an invaluable asset to our organization. Under her guidance, we strive to provide superior service and innovative solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of our practice. Yasmina's leadership ensures that our clients receive the highest quality of support, enabling them to focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional patient care.
Melissa Du Plessis is the practice receptionist and she ensures the smooth day-to-day running of the practice. Please feel free to contact Melissa with any appointment or patient related queries. She is always obliging and willing to be of assistance.
Sister Sebrina Ornelas is the newest member of our team, joining in April 2024. She is a board-certified registered professional nurse who runs our patient liaison and infusion clinic. Sister Ornelas is knowledgeable about gastrointestinal diseases. Patient care is her passion, and she strives to make every clinic visit a comfortable experience for our patients.
Most endoscopic procedures are performed under deep conscious sedation. Our team of anaesthetists and seditionists led by Dr. Esther Basson (Panorama Anaesthetists) and Dr. Gideon Smit (Sedation Connect) pride themselves with ensuring the highest degree of safety and comfort for our patients undergoing interventional procedures.
Dr. Basson can be contacted via the Panorama Anaesthetic Practice, located at Room H07 Mediclinic Panorama. She can be contacted on 021 930 2250 for any anaesthetic related queries. Contact Amanda van der Linde on 082 306 1684 for any billing enquiries.
Dr. Smit can be contacted via his sedation practice – Sedation Connect. He can be contacted on 021 910 2194 or via email on info@sedation.co.za for any sedation related queries.
The team from Panorama Dieticians led by Ms. Berna Harmse and Ms. Diane Iverson provide our patients with dietary counselling. Diet plays a significant role in the management of gastrointestinal disorders. The team from Panorama Dieticians form part of our multi-disciplinary team which aims to provide our patients with comprehensive dietary advice.