Johannesburg – Medical doctors are taking to social media platforms such as TikTok to debunk many myths.
The messages, which are short, informative and uber entertaining, resonate with women.
One of the media practitioners to do this is Dr Siyamak Saleh, better known as @doctor.siya on TikTok.
He has almost 2-million followers, making him a certified user since joining the platform in March last year, just when the world slipped into a Covid-19 depression.
Saleh, born in Kuwait and living in South Africa for the past 14 years, practises at a township clinic in Cape Town.
Having known he wanted to help people since his teenage years, he said he became a doctor and came to South Africa to conduct research and finish his postgraduate studies at the University of Cape Town.
The new reality of Covid-19 made him anxious and stressed, and he needed an escape from reality. His nine-year-old daughter introduced him to TikTok and they bonded, making father and daughter videos.
He also created content on HIV, mental health and how to boost the immune system.
But he said it was his content around female-only issues, such as periods and pregnancy, that saw his posts go viral and grew his followers on the platform.
“About 80% of my followers are females who I guess wouldn’t normally ask their own doctors certain questions – like tips on how to fall pregnant, if eating pineapple and spicy foods can induce labour … These may sound silly, but they are valid concerns, so it’s comforting teaching women about these things,” said the 40-year-old.
Watch one of his videos below:
@doctor.siyaPregnancy Myths ???????? Part 1 ##pregnancy ##pregnant ##tiktokdoc ##myths ##keeprising♬ original sound – Chris
“I don’t prescribe specific medications as that would be unethical. I only advise and urge people to seek treatment and see their doctors.”
Ridge Mphaphuli, an aspiring doctor in his fifth year of medical studies at the University of Pretoria, is also fast gaining popularity among the ladies.
A lover of amapiano, he chooses a vibey track and dances to the advice he offers on a vast array of medical health concerns.
His latest video is about contraceptives and alcohol.
View this post on Instagram
Born in Makhado in Limpopo, the 24-year-old said he is passionate about especially female health issues and wants to be a force in the obstetrics and gynaecology field and will hopefully start his own female clinic.
With almost 300 000 followers, he also took to the TikTok platform during lockdown level 5 last year.
“I started doing it for fun. But it soon gained popularity. I’m also a big amapiano fan and I know people want short and to the point videos – 20 seconds max. So, I give them what would normally be boring advice using trending songs that they can relate to.”
Watch one of Mphaphuli’s videos below:
@dr_ridgeAnswer to @keeyah_m ##medicine ##birthcontrol ##contraceptive ##drridge ##education ##womenshealth ##doctorsoftiktok ##health ##learnontiktok♬ original sound – Gₒₒdₛₒᵤₙdₛ????
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