Nazik Hammad, Medical Oncologist and Professor at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, shared a post on LinkedIn by Andrew Odhiambo, Unit Head of the Medical Oncology and Lecturer at the University of Nairobi, adding:
“A great milestone for this monumental achievement for medical oncology training in Africa. The University of Nairobi medical oncology training program. It has been a privilege to have been a visiting professor during its early years. Now a mature program training oncologists from all over the continent. Congratulations, Andrew Odhiambo and colleagues. And of course, congratulations to the visionary founding program director, Prof N.A. Othieno-Abinya.”
Quoting Andrew Odhiambo’s post:
“This morning, as our Year One Medical Oncology Fellows sat for their end-of-year 1 mock exams, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come.
It all began with one man, Prof N.A. Othieno-Abinya Award Winning Professor
Through his mentorship, vision, and unwavering commitment, the University of Nairobi Medical Oncology Fellowship became a reality in 2016.
Next year, we’ll celebrate 10 years of this program, a decade of building capacity, shaping specialists, and transforming cancer care across Africa.
So far, 10 brilliant MedicalOncologists have completed the fellowship and are now impacting lives across Kenya, South Africa, and beyond.
Among them:
- Dr Peter Oyiro – Deputy Program Director
- Dr Mohammed Ezzi – Faculty, Medical Oncology, UON
- Dr Bonginkosi Shoba – South Africa🇿🇦
- Dr Angela McLigeyo – Kenyatta University
- Dr Robert Yatich – MTRH
- Dr Mercy Gatua – KUTRRH
- Dr Caroline Tonio -KUTRRH and Christie NHS, UK
- Dr Amina Habib – AKUH
- Dr Karanga Kimani – Ministry of Health
- Dr Douglas Nyandika – Nairobi Hospital
Today, we are unveiling four promising Year Ones – Georgina Magoma, Mildred Hagembe, PATIENCE SAKEAH Foster Kwawu 🇬🇭 – soon moving to Year Two. More are joining from Kenya and Ghana this year.
From one man’s dream, we now have a regional Medical Oncology fellowship producing Africa’s next generation of premier cancer specialists.
Prof N.A. Othieno-Abinya, we owe you everything. Your guidance opened global doors, built our networks, and helped us touch thousands of lives. We have traveled the world with you. We have laughed, shared meals, and danced together.
As the current Program Director, I’m deeply grateful and proud of how far we’ve come – and even more excited for where we’re going.
To our young doctors out there: Medical oncology is a calling. It’s demanding, takes a long time to complete, but deeply fulfilling.
What started with one man can inspire a continent.”
More posts featuring Nazik Hammad.
