Why offering Infusions is important to me.
‘Whether I save the life of a car crash victim in the resuscitation room or prevent a suicide through this remarkable infusion therapy, it’s still a life saved, and I’ve fulfilled my purpose.’ Dr Alan Howard, Consultant in Emergency Medicine. (Founder and National Medical Director of KCSA)
Who are we?
KetaMIND Clinics of South Africa, established by Dr Alan Howard in August 2019, represents a pioneering venture in the field of mental health treatment. With over a decade of experience as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine in Ireland from 2008 to 2020, Dr Howard has brought a unique perspective to managing psychiatric conditions through innovative medical approaches.Â
During his tenure in Ireland, Dr Howard specialised in the use of a common dissociative anaesthetic agent for procedural sedation, assisted intubation, and as part of post-intubation sedation packages. It was here that he first observed the agent’s profound impact on the mood of patients. Notably, two cases — a woman with severe suicidal tendencies and a man suffering from deep, suicidal depression — showed remarkable mood improvements for weeks following their procedural sedation with this agent. These observations spurred Dr Howard to delve deeper into the potential psychiatric applications of this agent.Â
The discovery that the disassociative anaesthetic could serve as an effective and rapidly acting treatment for conditions such as suicidal ideation, Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), bipolar affective disorder, and other mood disorders has been hailed as one of the most significant breakthroughs in psychiatric medicine over the last half-century. At KetaMIND, we are dedicated to harnessing this breakthrough to provide cutting-edge depression treatments and anxiety treatments.Â
Our clinic specialises in chronic pain management and mood disorder treatment, offering new hope to those who have found traditional methods ineffective. Our approach is tailored to each individual, ensuring that our patients receive the most effective therapy tailored to their specific needs. As an experienced doctor for pain management, Dr Howard combines his extensive knowledge in emergency medicine with a compassionate approach to patient care, allowing KetaMIND to offer hope to patients experiencing mental health difficulties.Â
At KetaMIND, we are committed to improving the lives of our patients by providing innovative, evidence-based treatments. Our mission is to offer relief and a path forward to those suffering from chronic mental health conditions. We invite you to contact us to learn more about how our specialised services can help you or your loved ones find the support and treatment necessary for a better quality of life.
Why should I consider infusions at KCSA?
Major Depression is a devastating and costly disease at many levels. Those who don’t respond to traditional antidepressants often embark on a journey of ever-increasing doses, combinations of different drugs, behavioural therapy and repeated ECT.
Eventually they might be described as ‘Treatment Resistant’ and hope seems lost. Patients become trapped in a dark cycle of negativism. The effects of depression tragically extend to family members and beyond.
Infusions at KCSA Clinics offer a completely new paradigm in the management of Major Depression, Suicidality, Bipolar Disorder, PTSD, Post-partum Depression, Chronic Pain and Refractory Migraines.
These infusions target specific receptors in the brain and have been shown to repair damaged synapses (junctions between nerves) in a predictable and sustained manner. Instead of simply ‘numbing the senses, our infusions offer a transformative awakening, realignment of purpose and restoration of hope in responsive patients.
Our infusions have the ability to break the cycle of Resistant Depression and Chronic Pain like no other treatment.
Our Founder and National Medical Director
Dr Alan Howard holds a science degree in Human Physiology and Biochemistry, a degree in Medicine and Surgery and a post-graduate qualification in Emergency Medicine. Most recently, he worked as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at a busy hospital in the North West of Ireland for 12-years from 2008 to 2019. He is author of the medical textbook ‘Emergency Management of Acute Poisoning’. For over 20-years he has served as an instructor and examiner on the KZN Faculty for the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course of the American College of Surgeons. Dr Howard is lead author of a manuscript published in 2019 by the British Medical Journal outlining his pioneering work in the field of emergency room decompressive craniotomy for traumatic extradural haemorrhages.
Dr Howard uses the dissociative agent administered at KCSA Clinics extensively in his practice as an Emergency Physician, primarily as an anaesthetic and sedative drug. It always intrigued him how particular patients he knew to be depressed or suicidal before receiving this medication suddenly felt much brighter and happier for days afterwards.
Dr Howard discovered that there was a substantial body of evidence supporting the use of this common dissociative anaesthetic agent for mood disorders and after studying the various protocols, he decided to concentrate his attention on bringing this therapy to those trapped in the devastating cycle of resistant depression, suicidality and chronic pain back to his native South Africa.
Our Mission
We will offer new hope to those with resistant mood disorders and chronic pain in a professional, compassionate, safe and affordable manner through the novel paradigm of our Infusion Therapy.
Our Vision
We aspire to provide unparalleled care and safety standards as the most trusted name in the field of infusion therapy for mood disorders and neuropathic pain in South Africa.
Our Pledge
We promise to treat our patients with respect, dignity and compassion. We will neither judge nor breach confidence. We will tirelessly pursue the restoration of happy, meaningful lives for all our patients through the appropriate and safe administration of our infusions.