Wouter Nolet, Tropical Doctor
Wouter Nolet passed away on the 23rd of November 2019 in the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) from complications due to Lassa fever. Wouter was infected with the virus during an emergency surgery where he tried to save the life of a pregnant woman, at Masanga Hospital, Sierra Leone.
Artist Eva van Diepen made the painting “Wouter”. It is an honour to show this work of art at KIT Royal Tropical Institute, in the space where Wouter studied to be a doctor specialised in Global Health and Tropical Medicine. In this way, we commemorate the important work he did in the field of international health in some of the poorest parts of the world. We hope Wouter’s valuable contributions will inspire the other students who are trained here to promote health and well-being.
You can find out more about the life of Wouter Nolet below and read Eva van Diepen’s description of her painting.
Passion for working in the Tropics
Wouter’s passion for working in the tropics started after he finished high school when he taught street children in Calcutta, India. During his medical studies in Maastricht he did internships in India and Suriname.
During his travels in Nepal, he founded what would later become the Sichya school project. This project enables Dalits, the lowest caste in Nepal, to go to school. He also served as the chairman of the project’s board for ten years
After graduating, Wouter worked for some time as a physician assistant in the Intensive Care and Pulmonary Department of the Amphia Hospital in Breda and later in the Emergency Department at Mungra Hospital, Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname.
Specialisation
In 2015, Wouter decided to specialise in International Healthcare and Tropical Medicine, part of which was the Netherlands Course in Global Health and Tropical Medicine at KIT Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. In 2018, he completed his specialisation at the Lion Heart Hospital in Yele, Sierra Leone.
Masanga Hospital
Wouter worked as a physician/surgeon and as coordinator of the training program for assistant surgeons in Masanga hospital in Sierra Leone for the Norwegian NGO ‘CapaCare’ in the 14 months preceding his death.
With his boundless enthusiasm, ability to bring people together, and passion for international health and tropical medicine, Wouter was able to inspire and convince many of the importance of a local training programme for assistant surgeons in one of the poorest countries in the world. Sierra Leone has an estimated population of 7.5 million but only 245 doctors.
In addition to his work as a training coordinator and surgeon, he was closely involved in discussions with the Government of Sierra Leone, various NGOs and the United Nations to integrate the training programme into Sierra Leone’s university system. It is thanks in part to Wouter’s commitment and perseverance that this was realised shortly before his death.
Better health for everyone
Even though Wouter died very young, through his passion and commitment to his work in Sierra Leone he was able to realise his dream of contributing to a better health care system in one of the poorest countries in Africa. In this way, he has become an inspiration to many.
Eva van Diepen about her painting Wouter
Wouter, Evadi, 2019, 150×100 cm, oil on canvas
At the end of November 2019, I read in the newspaper that the young tropical doctor Wouter Nolet had died of Lassa fever. He was committed to his fellow man in Africa. My heart also lies in Africa, and this is reflected in my paintings.
A few days later, five international doctors came to my studio. They were considering asking me to make a painting of their colleague, Wouter, which was very special. In the end, I did not get the commission, but I made the painting anyway.
I make a lot of paintings of refugees in the Netherlands, especially people from Africa, for these paintings, I always work from a blank canvas. Wouter came from the Netherlands, so I worked the other way around for this painting. I first painted the canvas completely dark with a green umber. I let Wouter come out in warm colours and red. In this way, it is not only a portrait of his appearance but also his passionate inner self.
