Dr. Katlego Selikane Reframes Public Health from Consulting Rooms to Campaigns
Words by iQhawe Magazine
What sustains me most are the values of empathy, service, and integrity. They keep me aligned with purpose even when the work feels heavy.
— Dr Katlego Selikane
Dr. Katlego Selikane (formerly Lekalakala) is not only a medical doctor but also a public health advocate who understands that medicine alone cannot heal systemic wounds. “What stood out for me more clearly,” she reflects, “was how the same systems that fail our people daily (poor sanitation, housing, education, and income) also fail them in the health system.” This kind of awareness shapes Dr. Kat’s work as Communications Lead at Keready, where she drives youth-centered health campaigns across South Africa, and as the founder of Clueless Moms, an online community supporting mothers through pregnancy and parenting.
As seen through her deep interest in empowering and equipping those who are under-resourced, her journey has been marked by a willingness to step in where systems fall short: “I educated where possible, advocated when I could, and, like many young doctors, often used personal resources to bridge gaps.” Beyond the clinic, Dr. K uses her podcast Meet Me in My Corner and her vibrant digital presence to spark candid conversations on health, motherhood, mental wellness, and empowerment; blurring the lines between medicine, advocacy, and storytelling.
We interview Dr Kat, and get insight on how she approaches health justice through connecting medicine to broader social realities.
Health is never neutral, it is shaped by systems of inequality. Can you share an example of where you’ve seen the healthcare system fail Black patients, and how you respond as a doctor?
When I practiced and when Keready still operated mobile clinics, most of the patients we served were Black, simply because they make up the majority of our country. That makes it hard to frame health inequities purely in terms of race. What stood out for me more clearly was how the same systems that fail our people daily such as poor sanitation, housing, education, and income also fail them in the health system.
The system is severely under-resourced, inaccessible for many, and often intolerant of the poor, stripping people of the dignified care they deserve. My response as a doctor was to make sure every patient I saw felt seen, validated, and respected. I educated where possible, advocated when I could, and, like many young doctors, often used personal resources to bridge gaps.
One principle I never compromised on was pain management because pain is something patients in public health are too often subjected to unnecessarily. In South Africa, this becomes a poverty issue and because poverty is racialized, the inference is obvious. The only clear barrier I observed directly tied to race was language. Patients who spoke Afrikaans and were seen by Afrikaans-speaking practitioners often had a privilege in care that others did not.
Many young people see doctors as inaccessible authority figures. How do you work to make medicine and health knowledge more approachable, relatable, and empowering?
I lead with vulnerability and often share personal experiences, which I have found humanises me and makes me more approachable. I also meet people where they are by using social media as a tool for connection. When addressing health matters, I keep my tone casual, avoid jargon, and sometimes use humour or anecdotes. For empowerment, I simplify complicated medical terms to make them more accessible so that people gain clarity and are able to exercise their agency.
Public health is deeply connected to social determinants like housing, income, and education. In your practice, how do you balance treating illness with addressing these broader structural issues?
When I was practicing, I could not separate illness from the conditions in which people live. Treating a child with recurrent infections, for example, means also recognizing the role of overcrowded housing or lack of clean water. Being aware and sensitive to those issues helps you manage patients more appropriately. While I may not have solved those systemic issues in the consulting room, I linked patients with resources that were at my disposal. And now working in the public health space from an NGO perspective, I am able to advocate for policy change, and contribute to public health initiatives that address root causes.
Who or what has been most influential in shaping your perspective and approach to health advocacy?
The most influential factor in shaping my perspective on health advocacy has been my lived experiences as both a doctor and a Black woman in South Africa. Practicing in under-resourced communities showed me how deeply social conditions shape health outcomes. At the same time, my own journey taught me the importance of vulnerability, voice, and representation. I also draw inspiration from my patients, whose resilience reminds me that advocacy is not just about medicine but about restoring dignity and justice.
“What stood out for me more clearly was how the same systems that fail our people daily such as poor sanitation, housing, education, and income also fail them in the health system.”
Beyond your public work, what practices, values, or communities sustain you and keep you grounded on this journey?
My grounding comes from my family and faith, which remind me of who I am outside of my work. I also find strength in community; whether it’s my circle of women, fellow doctors, or the digital communities I’ve built. What sustains me most are the values of empathy, service, and integrity. They keep me aligned with purpose even when the work feels heavy.
Access to healthcare often goes beyond clinics - it’s also about language, culture, stigma, and affordability. In your field, how are you working to make health knowledge and care more accessible and relatable to young people?
I lead Keready, which is a communications campaign targeted at teens, with tweens and older youth as a secondary audience. One of our strongest tools is our WhatsApp bot, which now has over 120,000 users. It serves as a digital health solution, providing young people with reliable information in a format that is private, accessible, and non-judgmental. Beyond the bot, our content strategy focuses on language, culture, and relatability so that health knowledge feels approachable and empowering rather than intimidating.
