Women in South Africa face multiple challenges when it comes to their health, such as a lack of access to quality healthcare, mobility and transport issues, as well as cultural barriers to receiving treatment.
Luckily, a number of female healthcare professionals are working hard behind the scenes to give women’s health the attention it deserves and extend the capabilities of the medical fraternity to empower women to live fulfilled, healthy and happy lives.
One of these doctors are orthopaedic surgeon and multi-faceted medical health expert, Dr Santá-Marie Venter, who is currently based at Mediclinic Kloof in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria. Dr Venter holds multiple qualifications, and is currently pursuing an MBA in Healthcare Management.
Today, she is a glowing testament to the value of lifelong learning and the ability of education to equip medical practitioners with the tools, skills and knowledge they need to serve the needs of patients in an evolving world.
As she advises: “Women need to learn to connect with their bodies more. When our bodies speak to us, we need to learn how to listen to them. When warning signs arise, don’t postpone seeking medical help. Put yourself first and prioritise your physical well-being. This is the only way to become the healthy, strong and highly functional superwoman you were born to be.”
She recommends annual bone density testing, coupled with the appropriate isphosphonate therapy, calcium and vitamin D supplementation – from the age of 30. These interventions, she says, should become part of your orthopaedic healthcare regime.
Also bringing her perspective forward in honour of Women’s Month is Dr Anusha Naidoo, Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Gynaecological Oncologist who operates out of Mediclinic Sandton.
It was during her time spent in the Eastern Cape that Dr Naidoo discovered the need for cultural awareness and sensitivity in dealing with the issues that arise from the disparity in access to quality healthcare between rural and urban settings. During these formative years, she also identified a need for more experienced gynaecological oncology surgeons and decided to enhance her skillset and training in this arena. Since then, she has been a passionate advocate for women’s health, making her contribution to various medical fields both theoretically and practically.
She urges women to: “Take their obstetric and gynaecological health seriously. A theme that is seldom spoken about in obstetrics, is the need for women to have six-week, post-partum check-ups which should include a routine ultrasound, a pap smear and advice regarding contraception. This is particularly important given that cancer can co-exist with pregnancy.
Furthermore, annual visits to the gynaecologist are essential tools by which to screen and diagnose any conditions as earlier on as possible. These routine gynaecological screenings should start from the onset of sexual activity up to and after menopause, unless otherwise indicated. When you prioritise your health as a woman, you are, by definition, looking after the health of your dependents – children, partners, parents and the extended community.”
Echoing her sentiments is Dr Sarah Nietz, who is currently working with Mediclinic Morningside to open a Breast Care Centre of Excellence. As a specialist breast surgeon, Dr Nietz has extensive experience in the field and is highly regarded as someone who has made an important contribution to breast cancer prevention and treatment.
Her work in helping to establish Mediclinic’s Breast Care Centre is as much a part of her technical and medical proficiencies, as it is a passion project which she believes will streamline the management of breast cancer patients, improve outcomes and bring a higher level of transparency to the diagnostics and treatment process.
With breast cancer being the most common form of cancer found in South African women, Dr Nietz and her colleagues have dedicated a substantial amount of time and resources to enhancing and improving the related surgical procedures.
But while medical technologies have indeed paved the way for better service provision in the industry, women still have a responsibility to themselves to play an active role in the early detection of breast cancer. For this reason, Dr Nietz encourages all women to regularly conduct self-examinations to check for any lumps or other breast irregularities.
As she concludes: “As a specialist surgeon, my message for all women would be to let go of fear and hold onto hope. Things are changing every day in the realm of breast cancer treatment and are changing for the better. If detected early, this cancer is manageable. There are multiple service delivery challenges we face as women, but where there’s a will, there’s a way and I think of each challenge as an opportunity. As South Africans, women and healthcare professionals, we have a duty to keep innovating, keep asking questions and keep striving towards better health for all.”
