A Christian dedicated to his faith, Dr Ross was called to serve in areas of need. "Healthcare workers avoid rural areas due to the remoteness of location, lack of employment opportunities for spouses, poor schooling for children, and perceived lack of professional development opportunities and support," he says.
Determined to swim upstream, Ross became Medical Superintendent at Mosvold Hospital in Ingwavuma between 1998 and 2003. This 246-bed district hospital serves 110 000 people from areas ravaged by HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, and a devastating teen pregnancy problem, among other problems. These are exacerbated by poor water and sanitation services, poor nutrition and health education, poverty, poor preventive healthcare programmes and the remoteness of communities.