Why this work matters
Obesity is complex. The response must be coordinated. Obesity is a chronic medical condition that can affect physical health, metabolic health, emotional wellbeing, mobility, relationships and quality of life. Many patients arrive after years of being told to try harder, eat less or start again, and many have lived with shame, stigma and confusing advice.
Responsible obesity care must therefore be bigger than a single consultation or procedure. It must include education, medical assessment, multidisciplinary input, appropriate treatment, long-term follow-up and support for the healthcare professionals who care for these patients. At OHC, we work across these different parts of the system.
Aligned with recognised bariatric and metabolic standards
SAMMSS accreditation and professional standards
OHC’s bariatric and metabolic surgery work is aligned with the professional standards and accreditation structures of the South African Metabolic Medicine and Surgery Society (SAMMSS), which supports healthcare professionals involved in the medical and surgical management of obesity through knowledge-sharing, professional connection and training.
For patients, this matters because bariatric and metabolic surgery should not be approached as a once-off procedure — it requires appropriate patient selection, surgical expertise, multidisciplinary preparation and long-term follow-up. For doctors and partners, it provides an important standard of accountability in a field where quality, safety and continuity of care matter.
Partnership & industry support
Supporting a stronger obesity-care ecosystem
Obesity care in South Africa is still developing. Patients, doctors, surgeons, allied health professionals, funders and advocacy partners all have a role to play in building safer, more informed and more accessible care pathways. OHC contributes through collaboration, professional engagement and support for shared learning in the field — working with industry partners, participating in professional networks, supporting education opportunities, engaging with referring doctors, and contributing to conversations about responsible obesity treatment.
Our role is not to work in isolation, but to help strengthen the system around the patient.
Education for GPs and referring doctors
Supporting the doctors patients already trust
General practitioners and referring doctors play an important role in obesity care. Many patients first speak to their GP about weight, diabetes, high blood pressure, reflux, sleep apnoea, joint pain, medication options or concerns about bariatric surgery — these conversations can shape whether a patient receives appropriate support or continues to feel blamed and confused.
OHC works to support referring doctors with practical education and clear pathways, including helping doctors understand:
Partnership with the Obesity Community Fund
Improving awareness, advocacy and access
OHC works in partnership with the Obesity Community Fund to support education, advocacy and access to care. The Fund was created to help address barriers patients face when they need obesity treatment — including the high cost of bariatric surgery and the lack of public understanding about obesity as a medical condition.
Through this partnership, OHC supports a broader mission: reducing stigma around obesity, improving patient education, building community support, advocating for responsible obesity care, supporting access to bariatric surgery for selected patients, and helping more people understand that obesity is complex, medical and treatable. This work is deeply aligned with the OHC approach — care must be ethical, informed, realistic and accessible where possible.
Multidisciplinary care as the foundation
No single practitioner can treat the whole condition alone
Obesity affects the whole person. Depending on the patient’s needs, care may include input from bariatric and metabolic surgeons, physicians or medical specialists, dieticians, psychologists or counsellors, physiotherapists, and practice administration and patient-support teams.
This model helps patients move through the full continuum of care, from first enquiry and assessment to treatment, recovery and lifelong follow-up. The purpose is not only to help patients lose weight — it is to improve health, support safer decisions and help patients build long-term care around a chronic condition.
Patient education and ethical communication
Helping patients make informed decisions
We do not believe in shame-based messaging, quick-fix promises or guaranteed results. Patients deserve clear information, realistic expectations and enough time to ask questions. Our education focuses on understanding obesity as a chronic medical condition, knowing when to ask for medical help, understanding medication-supported and bariatric care, preparing for treatment responsibly, knowing what aftercare involves, recognising that results vary, and understanding the patient’s role in long-term follow-up.
This education is built into our website, patient communication, newsletters, explainer materials, workshops and practice communication.
Long-term care and patient follow-up
Care does not end after treatment
One of the most important parts of obesity care is what happens after the first appointment, prescription or operation. Patients need ongoing support with health monitoring, nutrition, vitamins, blood tests, emotional adjustment, movement, weight regain, co-morbidities and long-term wellbeing.
OHC’s approach recognises that obesity is chronic — long-term follow-up is not a nice-to-have, it is part of responsible care. Our communication and education systems support patients across pre-surgery, surgery preparation, post-surgery recovery, long-term care, medical weight management, and aftercare and support.
Working with partners
A connected approach to obesity care
Obesity care requires collaboration. OHC works with patients, families, referring doctors, professional bodies, healthcare providers, funders, suppliers, community structures and advocacy partners. Our partner work may include professional education, referral pathways, GP and healthcare-provider engagement, patient education events, advocacy work, access-to-care initiatives, community support, industry engagement, and knowledge-sharing.
We believe that better obesity care will require many people working together, with the patient at the centre.
What this means for patients
You are entering a connected care pathway
When you contact OHC, you are not simply contacting a practice for a once-off appointment. You are entering a care pathway connected to recognised bariatric and metabolic standards, experienced clinical leadership, multidisciplinary care, patient education, responsible communication, doctor collaboration, long-term follow-up, and access and advocacy work through the Obesity Community Fund.
This matters because obesity care can feel overwhelming. Our role is to help you understand where you are, what your options are and what the next responsible step may be.
What this means for doctors
A collaborative referral partner
For doctors and healthcare professionals, OHC offers a collaborative referral pathway for patients who may need obesity assessment, medical weight care, bariatric surgery assessment or long-term aftercare. We aim to support shared care, practical communication and appropriate follow-up, and we value opportunities to engage with doctors around responsible obesity care, referral criteria, patient preparation and long-term support.
Our commitment
Building trust, standards and access
OHC’s commitment is to help build obesity care that is medically responsible, ethically communicated and supported over the long term, through patient-centred clinical care, multidisciplinary assessment and follow-up, alignment with recognised bariatric and metabolic standards, collaboration with referring doctors, partnership with the Obesity Community Fund, professional engagement and shared learning, patient education and ethical communication, and long-term aftercare and support.
Obesity care in South Africa needs stronger systems, better understanding and more access. OHC is committed to being part of that work.
