Meet Dr Joe Njagi, the singing surgeon giving hope to women battling Endometriosis.

‘Kristo wa neema zote imbisha moyo wangu’.

The voice belongs not to a choir member or a chaplain, but to Dr Joe Njagi, one of Kenya's leading endometriosis specialists.

For many women, the moments before surgery are filled with fear and uncertainty. Yet for Dr Njagi, those moments present an opportunity to offer something medicine alone cannot provide and that is hope.

Beyond the operating theatre, the gynaecologist has built a growing following on social media, where he documents patient journeys, educates the public on reproductive health, and advocates for greater awareness of endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects millions of women worldwide but often goes undiagnosed for years.

His approach has made him a recognisable figure among women seeking answers for persistent pelvic pain, infertility and menstrual complications.

"The patient is more than a disease"

According to Dr Njagi, one of the most important lessons he learned early in his medical career had little to do with surgery.

"Over the years, I learned something that we don't emphasize enough in medicine, we are dealing with human beings," he says.

"Beyond the disease and beyond the diagnosis is a person who has emotions, fears, dreams and people who care about them,” he added.

He notes that illness rarely affects only the individual sitting before a doctor.

"The disease affects the patient, the family members and even the wider community. It is much bigger than what we see in the consultation room,” he explained. 

That philosophy has shaped the way he interacts with patients, particularly women undergoing medical procedures.Videos of him singing, joking and reassuring patients before surgery have attracted thousands of viewers online. But behind the viral moments lies a deliberate effort to ease fear.

"When a patient comes to you and trusts you enough to allow you to put them to sleep, that is a huge responsibility," he explains.

"They know you are going to operate on them, yet they have no control over what happens   while they are unconscious. In that vulnerable moment, the most important thing I can give them is hope,” he adds.

For years, women suffering from severe menstrual pain have often been told that their symptoms are normal. Many have had their concerns dismissed, sometimes enduring years of suffering before receiving a proper diagnosis.

According to Dr Njagi, that dismissal can have devastating consequences.

"When we normalise pain, women do not feel validated. And when you don't validate them, that's where the problem begins,” he adds.

He argues that one of the biggest barriers to better reproductive health outcomes is the tendency to downplay women's experiences.

"I cannot feel the pain a patient is feeling. The least I can do is listen and empathize," he says.

"Many women end up developing anxiety, depression and hopelessness because they feel no one believes them,” he adds.

His observations echo concerns raised by health experts who have linked delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis to the growing burden of endometriosis in Kenya. Many women spend years seeking answers before receiving appropriate treatment.

An advanced laparoscopic surgeon and endometriosis specialist, Dr Njagi has treated patients with some of the most severe forms of the disease.

Among the most challenging cases he has encountered involved endometriosis spreading beyond the reproductive organs.

Because endometrial-like tissue can respond to hormonal changes regardless of where it is located in the body, such cases become significantly more complex to manage.

"Those are some of the most difficult procedures we perform,” he explained.

The condition affects an estimated one in ten women globally and is increasingly being recognised as a significant public health concern.

Dr Njagi has repeatedly called for greater awareness, specialist training and improved access to diagnosis and treatment.

Unlike many specialists, Dr Njagi regularly shares educational content showing patient journeys, surgical procedures and recovery stories.He says the goal is simple: education through storytelling.

"Knowledge is power," he says.

"You can Google endometriosis and find information. But information alone is not enough."

He believes people connect more deeply with lived experiences than with medical definitions.

"We are social beings. We understand stories. When someone hears another person's experience, they relate it to their own life,” he said.

For many women who have silently endured years of pain, those stories provide something equally important.

"Once patients understand what is happening to them, what treatment looks like and that recovery is possible, they become empowered,” he explained.