Public Health Officer Jemima Lotika is using her passion for health equity to drive change in the Loddon Mallee region and beyond, including in her native South Africa.
She co-founded Public Health en Afrique, which partners with African-based organisations to work towards improving access to quality, safe and affordable healthcare for all Africans one project at a time.
One of those is SOS Menhema, which helps get menstrual products that are more sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly to women and girls.
“We hear so much about the health challenges people in South Africa, Zimbabwe eSwantini and Nigeria face,” she said.
“Through this non-government organisation, we’re hoping to help improve in the maternal and child health, mental health, environmental health and ethics spaces.”
Jemima and her co-founders – Tshowa Kabala and Eunice Tshilengu – agreed they would partner with African-established organisations that share the same vision and collaborate to fill the gaps.
They work to raise awareness through their projects such as SOS Menhema.
“SOS is a call for help and Menhema stands for MENstrual HygienE MAnagement,” Jemima said.
“We aim to get menstrual products that are more sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly to women and girls in Africa.
“We’re starting in South Africa with a test project.”
Using her skills learnt studying public health at Australian Catholic University (ACU) and her job at the Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit (LMPHU), Jemima manages a team of 16 public health professionals, who, amongst other tasks, manages the team’s social media accounts and secures grants and funding that will keep the work going.
“It’s very exciting to see how far we’ve come. I never thought we could make a difference, but here we are,” she said.
Jemima makes up one part of the Health Protection team at the LMPHU and has a range of responsibilities.
An average day includes case, contact and outbreak investigation, which could be any one of the 84 notifiable infectious diseases in Victoria.
Jemima has been named the “Q-Fever queen” by her colleagues, as she has been supporting local businesses with education in that area.
“Public health is an interesting part of healthcare, it’s great to be able to help in the prevention space,” she said.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a creative side to Jemima.
With a number of pieces in small exhibitions around Bendigo – and a full solo show coming in March next year – creating artwork is a world she enjoys retreating to from time to time.
“I started in high school and have done it ever since,” she said.
“It’s usually completely different to work, a way for me to get my emotions out and onto a page.
“But when you start a piece, it can sometimes take a long time for you to build on it and get it to what you wanted it to look like in your head, you persevere with it.
“It’s taught me to do that in my job with PHA and at the LMPHU, it doesn’t always start off perfect.”
Discover how you can be your best with us at https://careers.lmhn.org.au/
Read more Be Your Best stories at https://bendigohealth.org.au/beyourbest