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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.
Dr. Irene Nzamu
Dr. Irene Nzamu is a Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist. She is the Head of the Pediatric Hemato Oncology Unit at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Dr. Nzamu attained her undergraduate training (MBChB) & postgraduate training (M.MED) at The University of Nairobi. She did her Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology & Oncology at Makerere University in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine & Global HOPE Texas Children’s Hospital.
She is passionate about offering evidence based, affordable care for children with cancer & blood diseases in our resource limited settings
Jesse Elungat Opakas
Chief Medical Specialist MTRH 2 Clinical & Radiation Oncology
Director: Hemato-Oncology Directorate, Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital, Eldoret Kenya
Positions and Honors
2006 – 2007 Medical officer intern at Kitale District Hospital
2008 – 2010 Medical Officer Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital
2010 – 2015 Residency training in Clinical and Radiation Oncology – University of Stellenbosch, and Fellowship of the College of Radiation Oncologists of South Africa.
2015 – Date Medical Specialist MTRH 4, Consultant in Clinical and Radiation Oncology at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).
2017 November to Date: Director- Directorate of Hemato-Oncology MTRH 2019June: Senior Medical Specialist MTRH 3
2022 September: Chief Medical Specialist MTRH 2
Peer-reviewed Publication
Results of Radioactive Iodine (131I) Therapy in Well Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study from the Tygerberg Hospital.
D. Acullu 1* A. E. Fourie 2, K. Baatjes 3 and E. J. Opakas 4 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283708956_Results_of_Radioactive
_Iodine_131I_Therapy_in_Well_Differentiated_Thyroid_Carcinoma_A_Retrospe ctive_Study_from_the_Tygerberg_Hospital
Radiotherapy in the management of carcinoma of the vulva in HIV positive and negative patients : an institutional experience; Jesse Elungat Opakas https://www.academia.edu/66075078/Radiotherapy_in_the_management_of_ carcinoma_ of_the_vulva_in_HIV_positive_and_negative_patients_an_institutional_experie nce 2015
Dr Samuel Nguku
Dr Samuel Nguku is a consultant in radiology and nuclear medicine at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi.
He has a master’s degree in Radiology from Aga Khan University and fellowship in Nuclear medicine from Imperial College London.
He was integral in setting up of the first PET CT service in Kenya at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi.
He has great passion in improving cancer imaging in the country and integrating molecular imaging in management of cancer patients.
Dr Naftali Busakhala
Naftali Busakhala is a Senior Lecturer and specialist Physician at Moi University and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. He is the departmental postgraduate coordinator at the department of pharmacology and toxicology at Moi University. He is the co-chairman of the Ampath Oncology working group. Dr Busakhala is the principal investigator of the AIDS Malignancy Consortium, Moi University Site. He is also the principal investigator of the Lung and Breast Cancer Projects.
He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Prevention and Research, Lyon France. He has published widely in peer reviewed journals.
Dr Busakhala is the Chairperson of the Kenya Society of Haematology and Oncology (KESHO).
He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Moi University and a Masters of Medicine in Internal Medicine from University of Nairobi. He also received post graduate training in Pharmacology from Tianjin University China and Makerere University Uganda. He was a Fogarty trainee in Haematology and Oncology at Brown University, USA.
Dr. Njoki Njiraini
Dr. Njoki Njiraini is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist based at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
She has been key in instituting multidisciplinary meetings, problem oriented research in the department, and streamlining patient care within the oncology clinics in the public and private sector.
Dr. Njiraini holds a bachelors degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Nairobi, a Masters Degree in Radiation Oncology from the University of Cape Town, is a Fellow of the College of Radiation Oncology (FCRO) South Africa and a graduate of the Harvard POETIC Fellowship programme.
Caesar Oburu Barare
Caesar Oburu Barare is the Assistant Chief Radiation Therapist at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Cancer Treatment Centre.
He is a part time lecturer in Dip Med Imaging at KMTC Manza Campus and a Clinical Tutor, BRad (Therapy) at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
He is the immediate past Regional Director Africa at International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT). He is the past president of Society of Radiography in Kenya (SORK).
- 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