Oncology Pharmacy in Kenya was recognized as a specialty in Pharmacy a year ago, although we still do not have a Master’s program in Oncology Pharmacy in Kenya.
Having graduated from the School of Pharmacy in the year 2016, I was posted for my internship for one year and during my rotation at the oncology unit, there were a lot of challenges and opportunities as well.
Immediately after my internship I went back to the Oncology Centre to request if they could allow me to volunteer my work there and I was given a job as an Oncology Pharmacist to work under a senior pharmacist.
As a junior Pharmacist in an Oncology Unit, I was an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team and was tasked with medication reconciliation. I would go through the patients’ notes to rationalise the prescriptions ensuring I was on the same page with the Pharmacist and the Oncologist. The oncology nurse would also double check the prescription for any medication errors as since oncology drugs have a narrow therapeutic window, a small mistake is hazardous to the patient’s health.
After two years I got another opportunity in an Oncology Cancer Institute where I practice to date. The institute has only an outpatient unit.
My main duties here start at 8:00 am when I meet with the oncologist, write chemotherapies orders, review drug dosages and ensure accurate and exact dosages. In the case of any new patient who is starting chemotherapy treatment, I sit with my patient and explain to him/her thoroughly the treatment journey, cost of medication, side effects that can be expected and their management, how to use oral anticancer medication at home and the importance of treatment adherence.
Once all the patients have been reviewed for treatment, I take with me all the treatment files to the chemotherapy compounding room where we use a Biosafety Class IIB. I change before entering the compounding room, get all the drugs that I need, I compound drugs for one patient at a time until I finish with all the files.
My technician will go through all the compounded drugs to make sure that the right drugs, dosage and labelling have been done. In the chemotherapy compounding area, the oncology nurse will go through all the drugs confirming with the patient’s treatment files, if they confirm to be correct this being the last check, they start chemotherapy administration.
Working as an Oncology Pharmacist in Kenya is fulfilling but equally has its own share of challenges:
1. Medical insurance approves limited amount of money for a chemotherapy cycle, making the patients top up to meet the treatment costs.
2. Oncology medications are very expensive.
3. A lot of poor-quality medication infiltrating the market.
4. Drug supply chains have long turn around times for drugs delivered to the hospital.
There is quite an overwhelming number of patients who cannot afford their medicines and I believe the issue of access to medicines is an area that we can do something about it.
Written by: Dr Collins Saina, Oncology Pharmacist, International Cancer Institute – Eldoret, Kenya
Keep up the good work Dr. Saint.
Keep up the good work Dr. Saint.
Congratulations. You are doing well. God bless your hands and future