Local doctor has a heart for the youth

Dakalo Munenyiwa (28) from Glenvista is a medical doctor by profession post community service. Munenyiwa studied at the University of Cape Town and obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) in 2019.

She did a two-year internship as part of her training at Bloemfontein Academic Health Care Complex where she rotated between three hospitals – Pelonomi Regional, Universitas Academic and the National District Bloemfontein doing different specialties.

Munenyiwa did an additional year of community service when she returned to Johannesburg. The young doctor pursued the profession because of her heart for people.

She explained: “Life has a mysterious way of directing our path and we always find ourselves where we need to be.

“I can remember in high school how I couldn’t see myself doing anything else and I was fortunate enough to choose between commerce and health. The image of myself sitting behind a desk, working more with numbers than people, did not sit well with me.

“Medicine is very broad but its a matter of understanding your purpose and having a heart for people.”
Contributing to youth healthcare

Passionate about healthcare, Munenyiwa joined #keready, which is a movement that seeks to enhance healthcare-seeking behaviour among young people and improve access to health services in South Africa.

#Keready’s team consists of 10 young doctors, 95 nurses, a team of communicators and drivers and over a hundred mobilisers who ensure that young people in four provinces (Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape) have access to the health services they need.

“Being part of the #keready movement, I’ve realised that I am passionate about clinical medicine. The platform has also helped me grow and expand my interest in clinical medicine,” said the doctor.

As a young doctor for the movement, her focus is specifically on the youth, educating them about their health and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

When Munenyiwa initially joined #keready, she was responsible for the Johannesburg district. Along with other young doctors, she has played a pivotal role in driving the movement forward.

“The young people who make use of the services feel more comfortable speaking to a health professional that is young and has a better understanding of the age-related issues faced by young people.”

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Navigating through the challenges
“Apart from the challenges that come with being a doctor, my biggest challenge has been my age. People do not believe that you can be young and be a medical practitioner,” explained Dr Munenyiwa.

She is grateful for the values learnt in medical school, to remain professional and that is how she overcomes criticism and judgement. Her confidence in who she is as a doctor has also assisted with overcoming the challenge of disbelief in her competency.

“I step up to that challenge saying, yes, I acknowledge that I am young but I am qualified, I know what I am doing and I am still learning,” highlighted Munenyiwa.

She emphasised the importance of kindness and professionalism as a method of navigating through her challenges and bridging the gap.

Her future in medicine
Although Munenyiwa has achieved her goal of being a doctor, she has a bright future ahead of her. She always had an interest in dermatology as a speciality.

“I’m definitely pursuing clinical medicine with the dream of ultimately becoming a dermatologist. Specialising is a long journey but I have grown older and wiser, knowing that everything will happen in its time.

“Challenges are there but if you persist and preserve you will make it,” explained Munenyiwa.

“Overall the experience of #keready and being a part of the movement helped me self-actualise. It is not only about us, as young doctors giving back to the community, but it is also beneficial for us to discover ourselves. It’s for young people by young people.”

She advised young people looking to pursue medicine to look forward to it, highlighting that it is a very fulfilling job despite the challenges.

“It is important to understand that this kind of profession involves constant development. It is lifelong learning and you need to be prepared for that.”