Dr Ephraim Kgoete has turned the popular township sandwich, a kota, into a means to help fund patients who are not able to afford surgery costs.

• Burgersfort doctor Ephraim Kgoete is using his kota business to raise funds and help patients who cannot afford surgery and medical care.
• Inspired by long waiting lists and delays he witnessed in the public healthcare system, he began assisting patients with free or subsidised surgeries.
• Since last year, the initiative has helped seven patients pay for surgeries, with Kgoete aiming to expand the programme through partnerships, sponsorships and government support.

A Burgersfort doctor has prescribed a unique remedy to help patients who cannot afford surgery – by selling kotas himself to help pay for them.

Fondly called “Dr Ya Batho”, a Setswana name which loosely translates to “the doctor of the people”, Dr Ephraim Kgoete runs a mobile practice called Khayalami Medical Solutions where he offers services.

The 34-year-old uses his kota business to raise funds in an effort to assist struggling patients pay for minor surgeries.

A kota is a popular township sandwich made from a quarter loaf of bread that is hollowed out and stuffed with different fillings.

The initiative was inspired by what he had witnessed while working in the public sector.

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“I’ve worked in the public sector before. There are patients who have been booked and placed on long waiting lists, but eventually, even if it’s their time to be operated, they turn them away.”

This could be for various reasons, such as a lack of beds, a shortage of doctors, or prioritising emergencies.

Kgoete explained that in 2021, he developed the idea to help patients in need of surgery, without charging them.

“I first identified a patient by the name of Thomas, and I did a surgery for him for free. It came out well without any issues,” he said.

“That’s where the surgery drive was born – to say, let me try and do the same thing that I did to Thomas, to other patients without them paying.”

Since last year, Kgoete has used his kota business to do something impactful and return the favour to the community that supported his business.

He balances both ventures by scheduling minor surgical procedures based on how many patients he has per week, which allows him to plan when he can sell kotas. If the procedures are major, he refers them to other specialists.

On days he intends to run the kota business, he ensures no patients are booked for surgery. He primarily operates the business on weekdays, rather than weekends, due to family and other commitments.

“We deal with two categories of patients: the patients who come voluntarily because they want to be assisted, and the patients we identify as being in need of surgeries, but they can’t afford it.”

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Kgoete said he had been able to assist seven patients in paying for their surgeries through the initiative. He added that in addition to the patients whose surgeries have been paid for, he has also assisted others by providing subsidies to reduce their costs.

He said the initiative had given him and his team a sense of fulfilment, adding that it makes him happy to know that someone’s life and dignity have been restored.

“It’s a good feeling to us,” he said. “Their smiles are restored, and their lives are changed to a point where they can’t believe it.”

Looking ahead, Kgoete hopes to expand Khayalami’s reach and encourage collaboration between different stakeholders.

“We want to see it being a very big centre that can assist patients who are suffering without them being delayed or denied access to early medical care and prevention of illnesses before they can even become complicated,” he said.

“We can grow through partnerships, sponsors and the government can put in a hand as well, we can collaborate and make sure that this movement grows to a point whereby if any patient needs assistance [they can be assisted] in multiple locations.”

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