May 4, 2025
Borkena
Toronto – Ethiopian Heart Surgeon Dr. Fikru Maru passed away at the age of 76.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Fikru Maru a beloved cardiologist, humanitarian, and unsung hero who dedicated his life to serving Ethiopia with compassion and excellence,” Tazma M/s/s/c & Addis cardiac Hospital announced in an official message.
He was instrumental in pioneering heart surgery service in the private sector in Ethiopia. As well, many remember him for his extensive humanitarian work. Colleagues and those who knew his extensive involvement in charitable work call him “unsung hero.”
Dr. Fikru had been living in Sweden for several decades with his family. He was then thrown to prison for several years in Ethiopia on trumped up charges of “corruption” during the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) regime. However, it was widely understood that he was arrested for political reasons. He was also charged with “terrorism” and plotting a revolt at Qilinto prison where he was arrested between 2013 and 2018. In 2018, Federal Prosecutor dropped charges against Dr. Fikru.
In 2019, he published “Five Years of captivity” , a story of his life in Ethiopia’s notorious Qilinto prison was published in Sweden.
Before he embarked on his profession as heart surgeon in Sweden, he was a trained fighter pilot in the Ethiopian Air forces in the 1970’s.
He is survived by his wife and two children. Details of the funeral arrangement are undisclosed at this point.
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