DOCTOR’S PROFILE: RIZIKI MAKENA

Thank you Joyce for finding time amidst your busy schedule for this interview. We also acknowledge the effort you are putting as an individual/team to ensure that your patients are getting the best medical attention.
Please tell us more about yourself.

Take us back in the years

Riziki: My early life was like any other child, first born in a family of 4 siblings. I attended my primary
education in Cottolengo Boarding School then proceeded to St Angelas Girls in Kitui for my secondary
School.
There after I joined Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Embu for my Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery and later proceeded for my Higher Diploma in Emergency and Critical Care in Nairobi KMTC.
I am currently working with a reputable organisation as a project officer in an ongoing cardiac project.

How I got into medicine

Riziki: I was searching for answers. I lost someone very close to me so suddenly and I was eager to find out the cause and probably prevent any other person from losing their loved ones in such a way. And that is how I found myself here and I have never regretted practicing medicine.

Esther: I’m so sorry for your loss. Why did you choose Medicine and not other fields such as Public Health or Nursing?

Riziki: It so funny you asked that. Actually before I went KMTC, I had a letter of admission to Meru University to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health. But as I said earlier, I lost someone close to me and I wanted answers and that’s how I changed my mind and settled on pursuing Clinical Medicine.

Esther: What do you like most about practising medicine?

Riziki: The fact that it makes me understand the human body, its function ability and complexities. It is so mind blowing and exciting at the same time.

Esther: What is the major thing you would want to accomplish in your medical career?

Riziki: I’d want to be the best clinician that I can for my patient and have an impact in somebody’s life in a good way medically. And through the Grace of GOD, improve on our medical emergencies in our country.

Practise in the future

Esther: All the best Riziki. How do you visualize using your Medical education?

Riziki: Make healthcare accessible to all especially the most remote parts of our country.

Esther: Which other medical field would you want to pursue and why?

Riziki: That would be Emergency Medicine of which I have already started. I feel that as a country there is a lot that needs to be done in terms of emergency medicine. Our hospitals are poorly equipped to handle emergencies both in personnels and infrastructure.

In the practise…

Esther: How do you collaborate with other primary healthcare providers in your line of duty to
ensure the patient gets the best medical attention? 

Riziki: Patients care is not a one-man job, but a team’s work effort. Everyone in all departments represented in a particular case plays their role effectively towards the needs of the patients care and better treatment outcome.

Esther: How do you approach diagnoses and treatments for patients?

Riziki: We have the clinical approach whereby there is history taking, conducting physical examinations
diagnostic work up etc. All this adds up to diagnoses, treatment and better outcome of patients.

Esther: And what is your philosophy with medicine and treating patients?

Riziki: Being kind and compassionate towards my patients and building an attitude of trust
between you and your patient are my philosophies.

Riziki’s other life…

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

Riziki: For one, am a very spiritual person so I draw my strength from the word of GOD and
prayer. With that said, I am blessed to have a very supportive family that understands the nature of my work.

Esther: That’s a very supportive family you got there. What do you do for fun?

Riziki: I have a lot of things that I do for fun. Among them, I enjoy cooking for my family, watching epic movies and travelling to different places.

In the line of practise

Esther: What aspects of practicing medicine do you find challenging and why? Have you been
able to solve them?

Riziki: Losing a patient especially the young is really a challenge for me. I know most people advise to not be attached but believe you me it’s easier said than done especially when you have been the primary clinician to such a patient from start. Then comes the hardest part: breaking the news to the relatives.

Esther: I can imagine how that feels. What have you achieved in your career course?

Riziki: Having just gotten out of school and securing a job with a reputable organization
in partnership with NCDAK, can be one of my achievements so far. We are working on a project that is close to my heart and this has been the highlight of my career.

Esther: What are the experiences working with sick people?

Riziki: Working with the sick has been quite humbling and such an eye opener for me. In that I have come to appreciate life and look at it with a much bigger dimension by appreciating the small joys of life.
I have also been able to draw strength from some of my patient. It has also made me have some of the worst days.

Esther: What excites you about medicine in general?

Riziki: The fact that medicine is evolving each day thus making it unpredictable each time totally excites me.

Keeping up with emerging trends

Riziki: Yes, I do. I even enrolled in POCUS Training to sharp my skills!

Esther: Interesting. What challenges do you feel doctors are facing today?

Esther: What are your expectations after completing POCUS Training?

Riziki: I will utilise the skills acquired while working in the Emergency and ICU to conduct thorough investigations on my patients. Most if not all patients in ICU or Emergency departments are critically ill and require rapid interventions mostly at the bedside.

Riziki: Just to mention but a few: lack of enough resources, poor pay and burn out

Esther: And how do you these the challenges should be addressed?

Riziki: Equipping the hospitals with adequate resources and equipment, improving on infrastructure and acquiring new technology to aid in patient treatment and care.
Employment of enough staff to avoid overworking that leads to burn out.

Esther: Where do you see Kenya in terms of healthcare in years to come?

Riziki: We have a lot of potential to grow as a country, especially in the healthcare sector by embracing the new technology and equipping our hospitals.