Dr. Masikara: The country's only Allergologist specialist
Dr. Mbaakanyi Kris Masikara is an exceptional medical practitioner, and a special doctor with an equally special relationship with children.
He is a paediatrician with sub-specialist training in allergology, the only one in the country. An Allergist or Allergologist is a doctor who is trained to prevent, diagnose, manage and treat allergic diseases.
Dr. Masikara obtained his medical Degree at Ross University in School of Medicine in the island of Dominica. He specialised in paediatrics through the University of Botswana and University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and obtained his Diploma in allergy through the University of Cape Town.
Dr. Masikara’s training in Allergy, Paediatrics and his love for medicine gives him just the right combination of skills to offer comprehensive management in a wide range of paediatric and allergic disorders for both children and adults.
His clinic, Allergy Centre, is located at Setlhoa Retail Park, Block 10, and he also has an office at Bokamoso Private Hospital. His love for the two sub-specialities was inspired by different things. His love for children, according to him, is mostly inspired by the fact that children are honest, and fun to be around.
While he takes his job seriously as a Baby Doctor, we learn that no child can resist his charm and contagious energy. What he loves most about children is that when they are not well, they will tell you, and you can instantly see that they are not well and will do the same when they are feeling better.
His love for his second sub-speciality was predominantly through an observation of how there is a rising burden of allergy diseases in Botswana and the world. There is an increase in cases of food allergies, eczema, and asthma, as well as environmental allergies.
Changes in weather patterns and seasons brings an array of conditions such as hay fevers, itchy eyes, rashes and for others asthma. This often leads to loss of productivity, and confidence for some.
That is when the demand for Dr. Masikara’s skills become more pronounced not only in Gaborone but the whole of Botswana, where patients have often relied on the help of General Practitioners, or Paediatricians in the case of children for assistance. Dr. Masikara told Botswana Guardian in an interview that when he enrolled at UCT for this sub-specialist as an Allergologist it was after realising that there was no one offering this service locally. Allergies are an unusual response by the body to an allergen which is normally harmless.
In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of allergies, and it is said that at any given time up to 40-50 percent of the population may be suffering from an allergic condition. Sadly, in some cases, allergies are not diagnosed or managed optimally.
At his clinic, Dr. Masikara specialises in services that include Paediatric, Food Allergy, Eczema - a condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, drug challenges, Aeroallergens, which is associated with airborne substances or inhalants such as pollen, and can lead to allergic rhinitis/hay fever, asthma, and eczema, drug allergy, as well asthma as well as Urticaria or hives, which is a kind of rash which may be a result of an allergy. Dr.
Masikara explains that Eczema is mostly found in children, and that it can be a result of food allergies. The common cause for it, is cow milk which can be found in formula milk, as well as eggs, peanuts and wheat.
Other allergies are a result of the environment, such as excessive heat, dryness, as well as genetic, where parents have passed it down to children, respiratory allergy in response to an allergen in the air such as house dust mite, tree or grass, and fungus, insect venom such as bee allergy to mention a few.
For those who might be dealing with eczema, he advises that they wear cotton clothing, and to always ensure that they keep their skin moisturised using lotions such as Epimax.
He says in most cases, food allergies are the leading allergies which affect children under two, while environmental allergies also lead, and that in Botswana, grass is a common cause. Grass includes varieties such as lawn and wild grass.
But of all the allergies, one of the weirdest happens to be a cockroach allergy, which is a common trigger for year-round allergy and asthma. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, stuffy and itchy nose, among others. Contrary to popular belief that it is difficult to do an allergy test locally, he shares that allergy tests are done locally at his clinic. The test can either be a skin prick, with results are made available immediately or a blood test that takes a few days to get results.
People suffering from allergies used to seek treatment in South Africa, or were seen by General Practitioners. “Some of the doctors were just winging it, and were not sure about what they were doing,” he explains.
Since he opened the clinic he helps people improve their lives. It brings great pleasure to see children being able to play and enjoy quality life after being treated.
“We have children who had extreme eczema, or those who had food allergies which ended up translating into food aversions, now leading a happy life,' he says.
In some instances, where children had extreme eczema, some felt that it was an incurable disease, and that when he starts treatment, they immediately transform into a whole new person.
Worst case scenario, allergies can lead to loss of life. In severe life threatening allergy reactions, Dr. Masikara points out a patient throat might close, and that their eyes might swell, with a swollen mouth.
“The body might swell, and they might have a blocked breathing,” he explains.
Luckily, for those with allergies, most of the treatment such as Anti-Histamine, allecet, rupanese, and allergex is available. In extreme cases a patient might require adrenalin shot, or an EpiPen.
One of the conversations that he is keen to have with health care officials and restaurant owners is the need to always have EpiPens readily available especially at establishments that sell food such as fish.
EpiPens is used for the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions to food, medicine and insect allergies. “This is one conversation that we need to have to keep clients safe. Some people are not even aware that they have some of these allergies,” he explains.
He now plans to embark on an outreach programme at least once a month, and will start the initiative in Francistown, in March and then do the same thing in Maun.
On a positive note, he says that there is an interest from some young doctors who are keen to go into this sub-speciality. On average, he says that they have clients coming from all over Botswana, and as far as Kasane and Francistown.
He is also looking at expanding his services to include occupational allergy, where people might have allergies triggered by the work environment. This type is often found in mines, and textile industry.