Page 24 - Aesthetics&Dermatology_11_2018
P. 24
TECH MED
BUSINESSMAN USING TECH
TO FIGHT DIABETES IN SA
A young entrepreneur has stepped and 80 percent of people with management, and kidney function
forward to curb the scourge of diabetes in the country die before test, among others.
diabetes in South Africa through the age of 60.
innovative technology. His clients include managed care
“This is the working class that organisations, medical aid scheme
Lubabalo Mnyaka founded Aflu should be building the economy.” administrators, medical aid schemes
Med Healthcare in 2014 to develop and government.
different programmes to prevent and He says the government spends a
manage the disease. fortune on diabetes treatment, with Mnyaka says a number of private
the cost per person per year costing entities in Kenya and Nigeria have
The 30-year old Mnyaka, who is also taxpayers R5 000 in 2010 and shown interest in the software.
the company’s managing director, jumping to R26 743.69 in 2015.
also owns an online computer store “I don’t want to say much but there
LJ Mnyaka Technologies. Mnyaka says he has developed a are some talks going on. I have also
diabetes management software for had a number of talks with the South
Mnyaka, who, holds a Bachelor government clinics to reduce the African government,” he guardedly
of Science degree in Medical cost to the fiscus. reveals.
Microbiology from the University of
Free State, says he took a liking to The software allows heads Besides running his businesses,
diabetes while working as a cardio of departments and treating Mnyaka, who was chosen to
metabolic care representative doctors and nurses to enforce represent South Africa in the 2015
for Merck Serono, a German accountability, prevent and/or delay UK-South Africa Bilateral Forum
multinational pharmaceutical the onset of diabetes complications. in London, says he is busy setting
company in Johannesburg. up the Eljays Institute of Science,
Mnyaka, who was born in the a private school focussed on
He says he discovered that South Eastern Cape, says health producing scientists in the healthcare
Africa was struggling to manage 3.5 practitioners are then able to know and engineering sectors.
million South Africans who lived with who has collected medication, view
the silent killer disease. missed appointments, individualise “We want to expose pupils,
treatment plans and monitor especially those from rural areas,
He says he found that 95 percent progress, among other things, at the to maths and science so that they
live with Type 2 as a result of their click of a button. become future scientists. We want to
lifestyles while the rest battled Type groom them from a young age up to
1 which is an autoimmune disease. He says the software also allows Grade 12.”
for the electronic storage of
“The disease is growing at an data. “Patient files are lost all The college, he says, is bent on
alarming rate,” says Mnyaka, the time,” says Mnyaka, who removing the myth that mathematics
who also runs Divine Spectrum holds an advanced certificate in and science are difficult subjects.
Consulting, a Christian-based media entrepreneurship from the Branson
production house. Centre of Entrepreneurship. Mnyaka says he is determined to
make the college a success and is
“In 2010 the prevalence of type “This is a costly exercise (of) having already in the process of registering
2 diabetes was estimated at 4.5 to redo tests and missing out on it with the Department of Basic
percent. We are now looking at 155 important information regarding the Education. He stresses that failure
percent increase in such a short patient’s health.” is eminent in this journey but giving
space of time.” up is not an option. After all, he has
Mnyaka says the diabetes seven failed businesses. “They left
Lubabalo Mnyaka founded Aflu management software is fully me with a debt just below R2 million.
Med Healthcare in 2014 to develop customisable and is capable of I call it tuition fee for street PhD.”
different programmes to prevent storing and sharing key information
and manage the disease. Image: at a point of care such as full
Supplied. blood count, routine examination,
ophthalmology, podiatry, stock
Mnyaka says between 60 percent
24
