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Professional Differentiation for the Oncology Workforce Symposium
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The Kenya Society for Haematology and Oncology (KESHO) partnered with the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) and the Ministry of Health, Kenya, and the Aga Khan University, to host the 1st Professional Differentiation for the Oncology Workforce Symposium aimed at developing a skilled and well trained oncology workforce who can provide quality care and services across the cancer continuum from prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
The event brought together specialists, program directors, policymakers, universities, and all facilities that provide training for all cadres providing oncology services across the country and in the region to define the scope of practice, core competencies and entrustable professional activities for all oncology and allied services care providers in the country.
Prof Nazik Hammad
Nazik Hammad is a Professor at the Division of Medical Oncology, Queen’s University, Kingston Health Science Center, Ontario, Canada. She is the Chair of the Education and Training Committee of the African Organization in Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC). Prof. Hammad is a visiting professor at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is the co-chair of the Network for Advancing Black Learners (Medical Students and Residents) in Ontario. She is the former Director of Global Health, Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University. She is an executive member of the Global Oncology Program at Queen’s University. She treats GI, breast and brain tumours.
Prof. Hammad has a keen interest in medical education, in particular health professions education in low and –middle-income countries (LMIC) and cancer workforce development. She has a Master degree in Medical Education in the Health Professions (MEHP) from Johns Hopkins University. She teaches regularly at the Clinical Oncology Training Program in Khartoum, Sudan and as a visiting professor at the Medical Oncology Fellowship Training Program, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Her areas of expertise include training program development and evaluation, accreditation, curriculum development, mentoring and innovations in education. Her work on education has been presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. She is a recipient of several grants in education including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada International Development, Aid and Collaboration Grant in 2020 for Faculty Development among African Oncologists. Her other areas of interest include value in cancer care.
Together with colleagues in African she led the first Choosing Wisely Africa that was recently published in the Journal of Global Oncology.
Dr Elias Melly
Dr Melly is a Medical Doctor and Cancer Expert. He is the current CEO of the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K).
Dr Melly is highly skilled and knowledgeable with experience at the local, regional, and global levels in clinical care, training, research, and program development and growth, He believes in value-based, transformative leadership and governance.
Dr Melly is gifted in building partnerships and collaborations. He is a true advocate of service to humanity without fear or favor.
Dr. Sulaiman Nanji
Dr. Nanji is a surgeon-scientist with the Department of Surgery at Queen’s University. He has earned a MD, PhD, and designation as a clinical investigator through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has dual fellowship accreditation in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery as well as multi-visceral organ transplantation. His clinical training and research interests have provided opportunities to work in several institutions including the Universities of British Columbia, Alberta and Toronto as well as Emory University, Kings College Hospital in London, UK and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). His current research interests in oncology complement his clinical practice in the surgical treatment of hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies. He conducts translational research in the epigenetics of human liver cancer to better risk stratify and treat patients with liver cancer. He also conducts epidemiological and health services research in HPB malignancies through the Cancer Research Institute at Queen’s University. More recently, he is completing a Master’s degree in Global Surgery to advance his clinical and academic interests in global surgical development. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys playing guitar, martial arts and spending time outdoors with his wife and 3 children.
Dr. Festus Njuguna
Dr. Njuguna is a Lecturer at Moi University, School of medicine, Department of child Health and
Paediatrics: he is also the Head of Paediatric haemato-oncology unit at Moi Teaching and Referral
Hospital. He attained his bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from Moi University and a Master’s degree in Medicine (Paediatrics) from the same institution.
Dr. Njuguna has several publications in peer reviewed journals.
Roselyne Anyango Okumu
Ms. Roselyne Okumu is the current Chair of the Oncology Nurses Chapter –Kenya, and a member of, NNAK , AORTIC and Africa Oncology Nurses Network.
Roselyne is an assistant chief nurse at KNH CTC, she has excelled in provision of nursing care to different categories of patients. As an Oncology Nurse Specialist she gives nursing care while managing cancer screening & awareness services, advocacy and research.
Roselyne is involved in training, education and mentorship of students at the local university. She is a trainer of trainers of Chemosafe, a program that is geared towards provision of chemotherapy in a safe manner for the healthcare provider, the patient and the environment.
Roselyne works closely with National Cancer Control program(NCCP) and National Cancer institute (NCI) as an expert and has participated in the formulation of several Cancer strategic documents in partnership with NCI and NCCP (National Cancer Control Strategy 2017-2022, National Cancer Screening guidelines and Cancer treatment protocols. She is also involved in mapping oncology nursing training and education in Africa.
She values integrity, honesty and is passionate about cancer research, education and advocacy
- Medical Oncologists
- Radiation Oncologists
- Clinical and Radiation Oncologists
- Paediatric Oncologists
- Surgical oncologists
- Gynaecological oncologists
- Haematologists
- Clinical trial co-ordinators
- Oncology nurses
- Registrars and fellows specializing in oncology field
- Trainee radiation therapists, medical physicists and oncology nurses
- Medical officers and general practitioners working in the Oncology field
- Radiation therapists
- Medical physicists
- Oncology pharmacists
- Sponsoring companies
- Policy makers