My name is Susan Nyabate and I am a Clinical Pharmacist and currently a Pediatric Oncology PhD student in the Netherlands. I had the privilege of visiting the pediatric oncology hospital there and I was very impressed. While I focused on my research, I was able to observe what pharmacists do in terms of patient care. They are involved in patient care by ensuring that doses are correct and checking for adverse effects and dispensing. The patient numbers are fewer and therefore Individualized care is possible. The hospital has a wing dedicated to research and pharmacists are extensively involved in the same. Clinical trial drugs are used quite a lot and therefore you are exposed to new/novel therapies such as immunotherapy agents and proton therapy. However this brings to light the glaring inequality that Africa faces when it comes to medicines… Why don’t we have pharmaceutical companies enrolling patients from Africa? Why are some of these drugs so expensive for the African population? Something to think about and also probably agitate for.
Precision medicine is practiced in this setting. Pharmacogenomics where they are able to assess the patients genes before deciding which therapy is appropriate is quite common for selected cancers. The survival rates for children with cancer is quite high when compared to Kenya. Which is quite unfortunate because a child with cancer in a high income country has a more than 80% chance of survival while in a LMIC setting such as Kenya their survival chances are 30% or even less . The masses in the Netherlands are generally more informed and aware of pediatric cancers than our Kenyan population. Pediatric oncology patients are followed for years after treatment and therefore the late effects of cancer treatment are well documented. This is not the case in Kenya where many survivors of childhood cancers are not followed up into adulthood.
On the upside, something good is however happening, many Kenyan researchers are now developing keen interest in cancer. The government is also focusing on Non-Communicable Diseases(NCD’s) with cancer being one of them. A lot of research is being done in cancer in the country and I am hopeful that the situation will get better and maybe in some years we will be able to be at par with the west.
My PhD has exposed me to research which is an area that I have come to love. Keeping in mind that I am a very restless person and routine is not my cup of tea, research does it for me. Research provides me with different challenges everyday and I like it. I get to write, research, analyse data, attend courses, and travel. Pharmacy is diverse, you can delve into an area you are passionate about and curve a niche. Pharmacogenomics, pharmaco-economics, research, global health, law, procurement, hospital.. Name it. You can only be limited by your own imagination. I am still very young in research and my prayer is that I come out as a better researcher at the end of my PhD. Maybe we can talk and touch tabs after I graduate and see if I still have kind words for research.
A pharmacist explaining to us how the robot in their pharmacy works.. This robot is used for quite a number of drugs and also fluids such as normal saline.. Making it so accurate.
Going there was a blessing and a daunting awakening at the same time. I was able to see what we can improve on but I was also able to see how far behind we are as a country and it’s a great burden to bear.. In fact I don’t really know if we will ever get close to what I saw there but I choose to hope and believe we shall one day.
The future of pharmacy care is built around people and not just prescriptions. As pharmacists there so much we can do. Even in the wake of weaker health systems, neither should we give up on our dreams or allow the bigger picture be lost on us.
Dr. SUSAN NYABATE
CLINICAL PHARMACIST
PhD PEDRIATIC ONCOLOGY
Great information.
What an article this is ,thanks so much Doc for the piece. This serves as both a challenge and a slicing divulgence of the actual situation in the practice of oncology in general. We live to hope that things will get better with time especially in African countries where the focus on research is dwindling.
nice one doc. I’m proud of pharm school lecturer. you are a motivation. keep going
Doing well daktari…. All the best in your studies. Hope that they will inspire change in our country. We wish you well and will keep on praying for you.
What a great read Doc, Kenya still has a long way to go..But having people like you in the medical field gives hope for a better furure.