The social conscience of medicine
Markus Frei
Therapy in the living room
Mats'eliso Setoko
With heart, discipline, and tireless willingness to learn, Mats’eliso Setoko has helped shape the fight against HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. From home visits in remote villages to studying in Europe, her journey exemplifies commitment, courage, and the lasting impact of SolidarMed in Seboche.
Mats'eliso Setoko was born in the Botha-Bothe region of Lesotho. From an early age, she wanted to become a nurse and help other people. “I enjoy helping other people. My own concerns always come second,” she says.
But Mats'eliso Setoko appreciates the help and support of others: in 2009, she obtained her nursing diploma and began working for SolidarMed's HIV/AIDS programme. There she met a Swiss doctor whom she still holds in the highest regard to this day: Niklaus Labhardt. When Mats'eliso talks about Niklaus Labhardt, she does so in a loud voice, as if she wanted the whole country to hear her praise.
Gently but firmly confronting someone with the sad reality was also a skill I acquired during my studies
Mats’eliso Setoko, nurse in Lesotho
Together with Niklaus Labhardt, she made house calls. They went from house to house, making sure that the patients were well and that they were taking their medication. If a patient needed firewood, they were happy to chop it into small pieces. If someone asked for water, they brought it to them.
Studying in Europe
“Learning” was also the keyword that characterised Mats'eliso Setoko herself. Eager to learn, she studied the causes of HIV/AIDS, the spread of the disease and the possibilities for treatment in Lesotho. Much of this was learning on the job, acquired through direct contact with her patients. Another doctor from Switzerland served as a great source of inspiration: Fabrizio Verga, with whom she had been working since 2003. “Fabrizio stood out for his great psychological sensitivity in dealing with HIV/AIDS patients,” recalls Mats’eliso Setoko.
In 2005, SolidarMed enabled the nurse to study in Europe. Belgium became her new home for a short time. She deepened her knowledge of HIV management. “Studying abroad felt like I was representing my home country of Lesotho,” she says proudly. But studying in Europe had its pitfalls. It was the first time she compared herself with other health experts and competed with them in a friendly way.
Community health advisors on their way to home visits in mountainous Lesotho
Her computer skills were very modest, and she repeatedly felt that she was lagging behind the others in this area. The result: extra working hours to keep up with her new colleagues.
What SolidarMed has achieved over the past decades, during which the organisation was primarily active here in Seboche, exceeds anything we could have done on our own
Mats’eliso Setoko, nurse in Lesotho
SolidarMed creates tangible impact
After completing her studies, she returned to Lesotho. She devoted her entire working life to developing HIV/AIDS programmes and mother and child health in Lesotho. She oversaw HIV activities in fifteen villages in the region, organised awareness campaigns, ensured early diagnosis and provided access to antiretroviral therapy for those affected. Caring for children was particularly important to her. The openness of the youngest patients often contrasted with the “stubbornness” of older patients, as she puts it. “Gently but firmly confronting someone with the sad reality was also a skill I acquired during my studies,” she says.
Today, many patients travel long distances to receive treatment at Seboche. “Thanks to Mats'eliso's training by SolidarMed, we have made Seboche Hospital one of the most trusted hospitals in the country”, says her supervisor Mohlaba. Mats'eliso Setoko herself also sees her achievements in the light of SolidarMed's former presence in Seboche: “I am proud of my culture and tradition, as well as my independence. But what SolidarMed has achieved over the past decades, during which the organisation was primarily active here in Seboche, exceeds anything we could have done on our own,” she says.
People who have shaped SolidarMed
Since its founding in 1926, people with commitment and courage have shaped the history of SolidarMed. In this portrait series, we highlight individuals whose dedication has had a lasting impact on the development of SolidarMed and on healthcare in Africa.
This portrait is an extract from a series of historical eyewitness accounts, which were compiled on behalf of SolidarMed by Marcel Dreier and Lukas Meier. The historians’ complete work is available as a book.
