Joshua Koech, a clinician practising in Kabarnet town is a medic who is an epitome of acerbic wit, a heart of gold and a safe pair of hands.
Talking of an acerbic wit; Koech is a clinician with unparalleled brightness. He is capable of explaining complex pathophysiological concepts even in the local dialect.
A heart of gold: He is kind and pious. Sometimes he has had to be woken up at the dead of a night to answer to a call of help. Despite being a time that is darkest and coldest, he doesn’t mind.
A safe pair of hands: He is good at what he does. If given the chance for the most difficult intravenous cannulation, Koech simply directly that thing at an acute angle then horizontally into the vein with a perfect precision.
Such colourful qualities are what I can best describe Koech. It is no wonder that his phone is always ringing with residents consulting him on a number of health issues.
From the heart of Kabarnet town to the foot of Kipkaech Hills, the medic is arguably one of the most sought after medics in Kabarnet.
I had a talk with the medic and this is his story as told by WoK.
Grew up in Elgeyo Marakwet
The medic grew up in the silent village of Kimotony in Elgeyo Marakwet County. He went to Sing’ore Primary School then joined Lelboinet Boys High School for secondary education.
He told WoK that his favourite subject was mathematics and biology and he always wanted to be in the medical field from a tender age. He took an accurate shot at the bull’s eye!
“Since my childhood, I have always been having passion towards health. I have never had and didn’t have any other career option apart from health,” he says.
Koech matriculated at Uzima University in Kisumu. It is his alma mater that shaped him into the man he is.
“The most important component of training I picked is focused patient care and rightful diagnosis criteria with rightful management of medical emergencies,” he told us.
Mentorship
After graduation, he went for internship at Baringo County Referral Hospital (BCRH) where he polished his skills further. The 1 year programme was a crucible of adversity with a small pay vis-á-vis the burdensome schedules.
But you don’t stare at a gift horse in the mouth; the internship provided the life-changing opportunities while interacting with specialists who mentored him. One of his mentor was and still is Dr. Stephen Kalya.
Koech says he derives his motivation from Dr. Kalya, an iconic doctor with immense experience. Dr. Kalya is a physician who attends to patients in Kabarnet and Eldoret.
“He is a kind-hearted doctor who is full of passion towards patients’ care,” Koech says.
The rising star of Joshua Koech
For the several years he has stayed at Kabarnet town, Koech has become one of the most sought after medics in this urban centre.
This is not false advertisement; he receives dozens of calls daily from the residents. I asked him what are the qualities that make him such a gem.
“I am always ready to help and I have the knowledge of attending to patients to achieve quality care. I am always available for them and ready to learn new concepts in medical care,” he says.
Restoring health
They say health is our most valuable asset and Koech recalls the most memorable incidents which he has helped in restoring hope for the sick.
One of his most memorable case was treating a 6 year old girl who was suffering from osteomyelitis. For several months, she was in pain and desperate for treatment as the disease had affected her ability to move.
When her parents consulted Koech, he made the diagnosis and put her on prolonged intravenous antibiotics, analgesics and calcium supplements. The treatment also involved other medics such as physiotherapists. After a month, the girl reclaimed her robust health.
I ask him what it felt like seeing the patient recover.
“It’s great joy and motivation to me as it makes me to be more aggressive and do more research on the best treatment course for future encounters and to get more knowledge,” he says.
The medic also reveals that he has encountered at least 3 cases of patients suffering from chronic back pain that was due to neuritis. After 3 months of treatment, the pain was no more.
Koech’s future is luminous and he plans to be an anaesthetist.
