This policy explains what personal information Dokotela collects when you message us or visit this website, why we collect it, who we share it with, and your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).
Who we are
Dokotela is an online medical practice based in South Africa, operated by Dr Aphiwe Meyiwa (Pty) Ltd. In this policy, "Dokotela", "we" and "us" means that company. You can contact us at info@dokotela-online.com.
Dokotela is responsible for your personal information (the "responsible party" under POPIA), including your health information and the record of your consultation.
What we collect
| Information | When |
|---|---|
| Your phone number and the display name on your messaging account | When you message us |
| Your consent decision | At the start of each conversation |
| Who the consultation is for, and that person's name and date of birth | During the first questions |
| What you tell the doctor about your health, and any photos or documents you send | During the consultation |
| The doctor's replies, and the outcome of the consultation | During and at the end of the consultation |
| Proof of payment, if we ask for it | When you send it |
| Technical information about message delivery, such as times and delivery status | Automatically |
We don't ask for medical aid details in the chat. This website doesn't use cookies, analytics or advertising trackers, and has no forms. Our web host may keep standard server logs, such as IP addresses and pages requested, for security.
Why we use it
- To pass your query to one of our doctors, and let the doctor consult with you.
- To keep an accurate record of the consultation, as health professionals are required to.
- To send you messages about your consultation, such as when it has been closed.
- To keep the service secure and working, and to investigate problems.
We never use your information for marketing, and we never sell it.
Health information
Information about your health is special personal information under POPIA. We process it with your consent, which we ask for before the consultation starts, and by our doctors, who are health professionals bound by a duty of confidentiality, as section 32 of POPIA allows. If you don't consent, the consultation doesn't continue.
If you consult on behalf of a child, you confirm that you are their parent or legal guardian, or are otherwise entitled to consent for them.
Who we share it with
- Our doctors and staff. Only the Dokotela doctors and authorised staff caring for you can see your conversation.
- Messaging service providers that carry messages between your phone and us.
- Hosting and technology providers that store and run our systems on our behalf.
- Authorities, only where the law requires it.
Our service providers may only use your information to provide their service to us, and must keep it secure and confidential.
Information sent outside South Africa
Some of our service providers process information on servers outside South Africa. We only use providers that are bound by laws, binding rules or agreements that give your information a level of protection comparable to POPIA, as section 72 of POPIA requires.
How we protect it
- Consultation messages and health details are encrypted when stored.
- Our doctors sign in with a password and a second verification code.
- Access to consultation records is logged.
How long we keep it
Consultation records are medical records. We keep them for as long as we're required to, in line with the Health Professions Council of South Africa's guidelines: generally at least six years after the last consultation, and longer for children. After that they are securely deleted. Website server logs are kept for a short period only.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- ask whether we hold information about you, and for a copy of it;
- ask for incorrect or incomplete information to be corrected;
- ask for information to be deleted, where the law doesn't require it to be kept;
- object to processing, and withdraw your consent for future processing at any time;
- complain to the Information Regulator.
To make a request, email us. We'll respond within a reasonable time and may need to confirm your identity first.
Information officer
Information Officer, Dokotela
Email: info@dokotela-online.com
Complaints
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, please contact us first. You can also complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa): inforegulator.org.za, enquiries@inforegulator.org.za, 010 023 5200.
Changes to this policy
We'll update this page if how we handle information changes, and change the date at the top.