ABOUT

Dr Ina-Mari McAlister

A General Practitioner with additional training in allergy & asthma, providing thoughtful,
evidence-based care for patients of all ages.

I’m Dr Ina-Mari McAlister, a General Practitioner with a special interest in allergy and asthma.

I obtained my MBChB (with distinction) from the University of Pretoria in 2011. Since then, my career has taken me through several areas of medicine, including Emergency Medicine, Oncology, Haematology and General Practice.

Working across these different fields has shaped the way I practise medicine. It has reinforced the importance of looking beyond an individual symptom, taking the time to understand what may be contributing to it and approaching each patient as an individual.

A bit about me

Over the past few years, my clinical interests have increasingly focused on allergy and asthma. I completed the South African Certificate in Asthma Care in 2024, followed by further training in allergy through AFSA and ALLSA. In 2025, I completed the requirements for the Diploma in Allergology through the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.

As part of my training, I had the opportunity to learn from experienced allergy clinicians, including Professor Mike Levin and the team at the Cape Town Lung Institute’s Allergy and Immunology Unit. This practical experience deepened my understanding of the assessment and long-term management of allergic disease.

Today, I combine my experience as a General Practitioner with additional training in allergy and asthma to provide careful, evidence-based care for patients with allergic and respiratory conditions.

Allergic conditions are common and becoming increasingly recognised around the world. Yet despite how many people are affected, allergy symptoms can sometimes be dismissed as a minor nuisance. As something patients simply have to live with.

For many people, however, the impact is much greater. Allergic rhinitis, eczema, food allergy and asthma can affect sleep, concentration, school and work, exercise and social activities. They can place limitations on everyday life and, in some circumstances, lead to serious complications.

Why allergy & asthma?

I became increasingly interested in allergy and asthma because these conditions sit at the intersection of so many aspects of General Practice. They require careful history-taking, an understanding of the different conditions that can cause similar symptoms, appropriate use of investigations and a thoughtful approach to long-term management.

For me, good allergy and asthma care is not simply about finding a trigger or treating a symptom. It is about understanding the whole picture and helping patients feel more confident about their health.