Dr MM Kewana Psychiatry

History

Dr Matshele M Kewana is a Medical practitioner, currently a Specialist Psychiatrist in Private practice. She is based in Polokwane Limpopo Province. She qualified as a Medical Specialist in the field of Psychiatry in October 2010 from the College of Medicine (SA) and graduated at a ceremony held in the University of Natal. Dr Matshele M Kewana started her career as a Psychiatrist Registrar with University of Cape Town in 2003. After qualifying she got employed by the Department of Health as a junior Psychiatrist at Polokwane-Mankweng Hospital Complex.

Prevous Institutions

As a Specialist Psychiatrist, she provided mental health services to the following Hospitals: Hayani Hospital in the Vhembe District of Limpopo

Polokwane

Mankweng

Seshego

She left public sector to start her own practice in March 2012. During her time in Private Practice Dr Kewana has been involved in following positions.

1. Assessment of Hospitals for training accommodating Medical Interns throughout our country from 2013 to 2016.

2. She was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Council in Mental Health from 2018 to 2020

3. Assessment and management of mentally ill prisoners at the Polokwane Correctional services which also accommodates prisoners from Modimolle and Tzaneen Correctional services, from 2018 to date.

4. She has been the Chairperson of Limpopo SASOP Subgroup from 2016 to 2019. During her time at this position as chair this subgroup managed to host annual Psychiatric Symposia from 2016 to 2019. These symposia were attended by Mental Healthcare Professionals from Limpopo and surroundings. This helped to increase the knowledge of the Mental Healthcare Professionals in management of mental health illnesses within the province.

As a Psychiatrist in Private Practice she ensures provision of quality care to patients consulting at her rooms and at the hospitals she work with. Dr Kewana is also involved in consultation- liaison with other medical specialists and General Practitioners in private hospitals and public sector in Limpopo and other provinces She also participates in teaching of general practitioners and registrars at Polokwane Mankweng Hospital Complex through Limpopo SASOP meetings. She assists the University of Limpopo as an external examiner for their final year medical students.

Dr Kewana is also involved in assessment and report writing for medico-legal mental health care users. She is involved with several radio stations like Phalaphala FM, Thobela FM, Energy FM in the Province where she addresses several mental health illnesses. This helps to increase the knowledge and awareness of the public at large about mental health illnesses and also to combat stigmatisation of mental illnesses. Dr Kewana has been involved in addressing challenges that are facing matriculants who did not do well after receiving their matric results, to reduce suicide and to reinforce confidence. This platform was provided by SABC through their programme Zwamaramani. It was also through this platform that Dr Kewana also addressed other issues of victim and perpetrator empowerment. Dr Kewana is also involved in giving presentations pertaining to women’s mental health in Christian Churches in the Limpopo Province.

Dr Kewana matriculated at Setotolwane High School in 1980. In 1985 she graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science from the University of Fort Hare, majoring in Microbiology and Chemistry. She then enrolled at the Medical University of Southern Africa to study Medicine and Graduated in 1992. She then did her internship at the then Garankuwa Hospital. After completion of her internship she went into private practice as a general practitioner in 1993. Her journey as a G.P kicked off by joining Dr Modiba in Daveyton and in 1994 established her own Practice in Vosloorus. She moved from Vosloorus in 1997 to establish a Practice in Thohoyandou Venda in the Vhembe district of Limpopo.

In 2000 she relocated to Cape Town with her family. After working in Woodstock as a Medical Officer, she registered with UCT as a registrar in Psychiatry 2003.

From March 2007 – February 2008 Dr Kewana was Chief Medical Officer and acting clinical manager of Hayani Psychiatric Hospital, Sibasa, Limpopo Province. During her tenure at this hospital she was responsible for the management, assessment and treating Forensic Psychiatric patients and also mentally disabled patients. From April 2008 – 2010 Dr Kewana joined the Psychiatric Department at Polokwane – Mankweng Hospital Complex (PMHC), Limpopo Province as a Chief Medical Officer.

She has vested interests in Women’s Mental Health, General Psychiatry and Psychogeriatric Psychiatry as well as community empowerment through health education talks through radio, television and presentations to churches.