Doctor’s Profile: Dainty Ocholla

I would also like to give back to my community in the best way I know how (I want to
open up a Radiology Centre one day that has subsidised rates for imaging that will be
able to assist the less fortunate to access the services).

Name: Dainty Ocholla
Occupation: Medical Doctor
Speciality: Radiology

Esther: Thank you so much Dr Ocholla for finding time to share your your medical life with us. Our audience is more than eager to know much more about you!
Radiology must be a very exciting field of medicine. I can imagine how you view our body organs and make diagnosis out of your findings.
I don’t want to take the show. Please tell us more about yourself.

Dr Ocholla: My name is Dr. Ocholla Dainty. I am a 3rd year student at the University of Nairobi
currently undertaking my Masters in Radiology.

How I started with Radiology

Esther: It’s good to know you briefly Doctor Ocholla. Let me go straight right away to our questions.
Please tell us what really motivated you to practise Radiology.

Dr. Ocholla: I have always had an eye for detail and Radiology really utilizes this. I would also like to give back to my community in the best way I know how (I want to open up a Radiology Centre one day that has subsidized rates for imaging that will be able to assist the less fortunate to access the services).

Esther: That is quite a noble course. All the best as you move to opening a Radiology Centre.
Why did you choose Radiology and not other fields such as Public Health or
General Medicine?

Dr. Ocholla: Speaking on a personal level, radiology allows one to literally solve many questions regarding the ailments of a patient that could otherwise not have been sorted out. It also allows one to have a healthy work-life balance.

Esther: I see. If you were not accepted at medical school, would you have an alternative career plan and still pursue your motivation?

Dr. Ocholla: Well I am not really sure, what I know is that I would probably be in any career path that helps me give back to the less fortunate in the society in any way possible.

Esther: You sound so selfless, doing a lot of charity out here. All the best.
Please tell us how you visualize using your Radiology Education?

Dr. Ocholla: It is honestly the most fascinating thing I have ever seen. How we use machines to literally
look at the organs in a human body and determine which ones have issues and exactly what issues those are amazes me every day. Radiology is truly the cornerstone of medicine.

Esther: I can only imagine how awesome that us. Still on Medical career, do you have any other field would you want to pursue and why?

Dr. Ocholla: After my Masters in Radiology, I would like to do either Nuclear Medicine or Interventional Radiology. Nuclear Medicine is an emerging sub-speciality in Radiology which has revolutionized both
imaging and treatment of diseases, especially malignancies. Interventional Radiology on the other hand has made some of the surgical procedures that were traditionally quite invasive, a bit more ‘tolerable’.
I want to be part of the change that this world needs.

Esther: All the best in your future endeavours.

Let’s get a little bit personal

Esther: Have you been able to handle work-related stress and time management considering that you’re balancing between family/individual and work?

Dr. Ocholla: Yes I have, although it gets quite challenging. However, I have learned to prioritize all my tasks on each levels depending on how important they are. First things first!

Esther: That’s better management. Moving on, tell us what you do for fun?

Dr. Ocholla: I really enjoying listening to music, travelling, swimming.

Esther: That’s a combination of interesting hobbies. Has your family played to influence your decision in pursuing medicine?

Dr. Ocholla: Oh yes, I really thank God for my family. They have indeed played a very big role all along in my medical career. They have been my constant support system all through. I can’t thank them enough.

Esther: Wow, what a lovely family. have you achieved in your career course:

Dr. Ocholla: Talking about knowledge, I have achieved a lot. I couldn’t be more proud of myself.
But the most recent is that I am now Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Trainer.

POCUS Training

Esther: Tell us more about your POCUS.

Dr. Ocholla: I’m grateful for the opportunity to train and qualify on becoming a POCUS Trainer. Although the training was intense considering I was juggling between work and school as well, I’m proud I did it. I want to believe that POCUS will be an important tool especially for us in the diagnosis team.

Esther: What experiences have you had interacting with sick people?

Dr. Ocholla: The experience has been great so far. I love helping the needy and the sick and seeing
people heal after I assist with getting the diagnosis.

Give us deeper insights on Radiology

Esther: What excites you about Radiology in general?

Dr. Ocholla: It is exciting how we use the ultrasound machine to visualize the organs in a human body
and determine which ones have issues and exactly what issues those are. Radiology is truly the cornerstone of medicine.

Esther: Medicine keeps on evolving. Dyou keep yourself updated with current trends?

Dr. Ocholla: Yes I do. I attend webinars, CMEs, seminars and even short course trainings.

Challenges facing Healthcare in Kenya

Esther: What do you see as challenges in the health sector in Kenya today?

Dr. Ocholla: Lack of access to healthcare for majority of those in resource poor areas.
There are not enough Doctors in the country, and the ones that are there are not well motivated to
work. The number of well equipped hospitals that can serve the entire population are very few as well

Esther: And how do you think these challenges should be addressed?
Dr. Ocholla: I think

• The government should strengthen the already existing health policies to ensure that healthcare is accessible to all.
• Doctors and other healthcare workers should be motivated in all aspects.
• Training of more healthcare workers.

Healthcare Vision

Esther: How do you envision the healthcare system in Kenya:
Dr. Ocholla: The vision of healthcare in Kenya has been planned under the social pillar of Vision 2030. The government plans to improve healthcare through constructing more hospitals, providing healthcare subsidies, improving access to referral systems etc.

Esther: How about in East Africa?
Dr. Ocholla: To achieve a cohesive healthcare system where all the citizens of the countries within
East Africa can access affordable healthcare across the countries, regardless of where
they come from.