Durban - When a young Westville philanthropist heard President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “Thuma Mina” (Send Me) plea during his election campaign in 2018, she heeded the call.
The campaign was about patriotism and a call for South Africans to work together to build a new and improved country.
Shriya Misra, 24, a post-graduate chemistry student, decided to teach and train unemployed youth to become leaders in health care and wellness in their communities.
She was exposed to health-care systems while working as a research assistant during her studies, and she focused on teaching communities about communicable and non-communicable diseases.
“There was a need for advocacy and awareness around communicable and non-communicable diseases. Prevention is always better than cure, and education is the key to prevention,” said Misra.
Communicable diseases are illnesses or viruses that can be spread from one person to another and can cause a number of people to get sick. These can include the current novel coronavirus, Ebola, flu, tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis A and B.
Non-communicable diseases are chronic illnesses that are not passed from person to person, like heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer.
Misra and her brother Shivesh, who both have their second dan black belts in karate, started a youth empowerment company in April 2018 called The Health Ninja.
Shivesh works at Alexander Forbes and is doing a postgraduate law degree in certified financial planning and a Master’s degree in management accounting.
He also runs the Divine Life Forum, a separate NPO.
Misra said the aim of The Health Ninja was to visit previously disadvantaged communities and train the youth to become “health ninjas” and ambassadors for the cause.
The health ninjas can use their training to teach others about communicable and non-communicable diseases.
“It’s envisaged that the youth of today will become role models for children and adults, and teach them to become active participants in health care rather than recipients of health care.”
The Health Ninja has since trained one lay counsellor and four volunteers in TB, HIV and patient care. Misra said lay counsellors offered volunteer counselling, and they should have matriculated and be over 18.
“They educate and provide emotional support, and are mostly active in fields such as trauma, psychological first aid, gender-based violence and
HIV/Aids.”
She said The Health Ninja and the Divine Life Forum also held outreach programmes and advocacy events in schools and community halls, in areas such as Welbedacht, uMlazi, Sydenham and Phoenix.
The focus was on TB prevention, treatment and cure, the importance of community support, teenage pregnancy, HIV/Aids, mental illnesses, the coronavirus and infection control. They hand out educational packs, food and sanitary hampers, as well as a book Misra wrote To be Not TB.
The siblings have also assisted in building screening areas and a flu clinic at King Dinuzulu Hospital, following the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
King Dinuzulu is the centralised drug-resistant TB hospital in
KwaZulu-Natal.
“In preparation for the surge of infections anticipated as South Africa lifts the lockdown, the minister of health recommended the establishment of flu clinics and screening areas as close to the hospital gates as possible. This was to reduce the risk of symptomatic patients entering and infecting the critical workforce.
“Together with the Divine Life Forum, the Divine Life Society and other sponsors, we built the flu clinic and screening area in the hospital car park within 10 days. Every patient that reports to the hospital now joins a screening queue and is screened for symptoms of
Covid-19 prior to entry.
“Those screened positive will be referred to the flu clinic for further screening by a nurse and a doctor, in special testing booths.
“The flu clinic and screening facility include donning and doffing areas, wash-hand basins with elbow taps, hand sanitisers and solar lights. The health-care workers are provided with personal protective equipment and desk screens, to maximise infection control.”
Misra said they had received requests from other hospitals to replicate the initiative.
She is currently doing her Master’s in organic chemistry: drug development.
Her research topic is the synthesis, characterisation and bio-evaluation of possible lead compounds for the pharmaceutical industry.
“My interest lies in lead compounds that have been said to possess potential biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-TB and HIV inhibition.”
To inspire others during Youth Month, Misra advised young South Africans to have a vision and work towards achieving it.
“It’s important to set small goals and celebrate as you achieve them. This gives you the motivation to carry on and achieve what your heart desires. Along the way, your dreams may change, but that’s okay because we live in an ever-growing world and our lives and desires will change accordingly. Just look at the bigger picture and stay focused.”
For information on their work in the community, call 0844506520/ 0845058571 or email [email protected] or [email protected]