The PH Magazine 2 by KEPhSA Kenya

The PH Magazine

Pharmacy Students Association of Kenya

WHO WE ARE The Pharmacy Students’ Association of Kenya is a student led non-profit making organization that represents approximately 1800 students from seven

VISION

(7) universities offering Bachelor of Pharmacy degree

To be a unifying force in promotion

in Kenya:

of medical training and patient care

• University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University

for Pharmacists

• Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology • Mount Kenya University • Kenya Methodist University • United States International University – Africa • Kabarak University

MISSION To foster unity among pharmacy students and pharmacists through

It also acts as the link between the students and

promoting exchange of

professional bodies such as the Pharmaceutical

information, collaborations,

Society of Kenya (PSK), Kenya Association of Pharmacy

trainings, and upholding integrity

Schools and International Pharmaceutical Students’

and professionalism in patient care

Federation (IPSF), with which it is affiliated. Its sole aim is to promote cohesion among its members through the various chapters who together

take part in professional development activities, community service as well as team building and fun events that bring all its members together towards promotion of the healthcare sector.

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MESSAGE FROM THE MEDIA & PUBLICATIONS OFFICER 2020 was definitely one for the books. We saw countries being locked down, businesses shut down and flights grounded. Governments were left exposed as healthcare systems dwindled at the helm of the COVID- 19 pandemic. It was a painful year of losses and to still be alive and breathing is a blessing from up above. Though, not all was lost, as many got to reignite their lost passions and interests, families bonded thanks to the stay home measures. We saw some of our own Kenyan students emerge with the brilliant innovation TIBA Vent to meet with the lack of ventilators world wide, our cover story. We, as KEPhSA also managed to move physical events to online ones increasing our reach to audiences even outside of Kenya. Different tales in healthcare have been narrated by our students and compiled to bring to you the second issue of the PH magazine. In this second issue of the PH Magazine we delve into various topics from Technology, Medical Financing, Career, Beauty, Students and Hustle and so much more. This issue was a product of the collective toil and effort by the KEPhSA Media Team without whom it would not have been possible. As well, I’d like to thank all the various contributors from our different University Chapters with whom this issue would not have been possible. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead ----Stacy Muriuki Media and Publications Officer, KEPhSA

CONTENTS

The PH Magazine

Committees

6-7 10 14

Executive Media and Publications Contributors Leadership Career Advice

20 Health

Migraines and other headache disorders Recommended acute cough therapy in pharmacy practice Africa’s Malaria Burden Medication compliance suffers Protective face mask in the Covid-19 era The smell of genetics Perspective on infodemic Telehealth Medical financing Tiba Vent from idea to impact The phuture of healthcare

38 40 45

49 54 59

Beauty Eres hermosa y eres hermosa Mental Health Coping up Pain and pleasure Fitness Pain and pleasure Know your Yoga style

Travel 10 reasons to go for student exchange Medical tourism – convicted! Student and Hustle Brianben Kilonzi Tabby Ancient roots Pharmacy Crossword

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MEET THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2020

Samuel Gioto President

Gathai Mundia Secretary General

Titania Njeri Organizing Secretary

Stacy Muriuki Media and Publications Officer

Aadilah Abdulhakim Vice President

Karen Ntinyari Contact Person

Harriet Juma Student Exchange Officer

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MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Stacy Muriuki Editor in Chief

Danielle Mwende

Geoffrey Katsoleh

Amadi Rene

Sylvannus Manyala

Annabelle Jemutai

CONTRIBUTORS • • • • • • • • • •

Aadilah Abdulhakim Kassim Sabwa Petronilla Wakio Denis Ngugi Hezron Munyakin Jean Kasudi Hope Chebet Sylvannus Manyala Gathai Mundia Danielle Mwende

• • • • • • • • •

Christine Nyakerario Geoffrey Katsolleh June Cherop Amadi Rene Clifford Oluso Wendy Mumbi Riaga Nereah Carolyne Njoki Taurus

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“We have a pharmacy inside us that is absolutely exquisite. It makes the right medicine, for the precise time, for the right target organ—with no side effects.” ~ Deepak Chopra 8

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LEADERSHIP Aadilah Abdulhakim - Kabarak University

eadership is the ability to guide others and to get them to follow you without force or coercion into a direction or decision that leaves them feeling empowered and accomplished. As Lisa Cash Hanson said,“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” Not everyone is born with leadership skills; but as we grow, we can nurture and acquire skills that help make us better leaders such as critical thinking, communication skills etc. How we use those skills will define our character as a leader. Sometimes, when the opportunity to lead is thrown at you, you may not have the confidence of handling the responsibilities. However, when people identify your leadership abilities, they might decide to make you their leader through acclamation. My journey as a leader started in secondary school. My then class teacher asked me to be the class prefect but I declined, saying that I could not balance my studies with the leadership role. To let me off, I had to write her a letter explaining my reasons. However, when I got to form 2, I decided to apply for the time keeper’s position as I am time-conscious. To my surprise I was appointed to the position of dining hall prefect instead. This was a much higher position and was highly coveted by many. It marked the beginning of my path to leadership. I was both thrilled and scared because I knew it entailed a lot of responsibilities and I had to balance between it and my studies. I kept wondering if I was ready and whether I would be able to cope. The first few days were not easy. I lost and gained in this game. With time, I gained a voice, confidence in speaking my mind out as well as firm decision making. My journey as a leader continued at the university where I became the President of the

Pharmacy Students association. This position came with more benefits than I even imagined. Who knew I could call the Dean my friend? I served the Association for two years and I must say it was quite challenging. I faced a lot of miscommunication with the students, whenever something goes wrong with the team, I was to blame and I almost gave up at some point. Encouragement and support from the faculty as well as leadership training programs helped me gain back my momentum and after leaving office, I decided that I still want to serve the students at a higher level and that is when I decided to vie for the Kenya Pharmacy Students Association (KEPhSA). I am currently the Vice President and I can attest, even this is not easy. The association has most of the members based in Nairobi so I have to travel by ten o’clock in the morning so that I can make it to the meeting by midday or even spend the night if the meeting was scheduled in the morning hours. In the process, I interacted with many students and leaders from various universities as well as prominent people from the Pharmacy and Non pharmacy professional bodies. Networking in this journey is a key advantage because you never know where it will come in handy in the future. Leadership requires sacrifices and commitment as well us living up to your promises to the people no matter what. I am proud of myself for reaching this far, despite the hurdles I faced because they made me who I am today. Nobody tells you how to be a leader or what to expect but it was then that I realized that as a leader; • You may end up losing friends, • Time is never on your side, • You have to set a good example to everyone, • You must have self-discipline and • Be a person of high integrity above all.

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PSK Activities

Organizational Structure

Affiliations

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CAREER ADVICE THE PHARMA-FUTURE

n first year of pharmacy school, most of pharmacy students get confused with the future of their profession. Most of them feel out of place and this is due to prior lack of knowledge of what pharmacy is. It’s only a few who get into the course programme due to their inner passion of pharmacy but to most, pharmacy school is just a second option after medicine or a way in for them to a family business or it was just by the fact that fate landed them in that course either by choice or by lacking any other option. Why the confusion? Mostly because of

the wrong theories they have been told since they where young that a pharmacist only sells Panadol in a chemist, that it’s the most difficult course to do, that majority drop out only a few make it to graduation. Well these are totally misconceptions about a pharmacy doctor. Am glad that in the past years of my pharmacy studies first year students get oriented about pharmacy at large by the senior students and pharmacy professionals to avoid the fore-mentioned wrong ideas about being a pharmacy doctor. Pharmacy doctors are the front liners in ensuring

The PH Magazine proper drug and therapeutic treatments. They work hand in hand with medical doctors, nutritionists, pharmaceutical companies so as to ensure proper pharmacological practices. It might seem like a straightforward job, filling prescriptions and dispensing drugs. Pharmacist must use their extensive knowledge of drug dosage, regulation, allergens and chemical reactions for each and every patient. Furthermore, pharmacists have the power to venture into pharmaceutical business, working in a drug manufacturing industry and also get into research and drug discovery. In a nutshell a pharmacy doctor is a wide healthcare profession that is involved in all aspects of medicine delivery to a patient.

success pharmacy career. An advice from friends who happen to have experienced internship life, is that one should take internship seriously and put more effort in it to test all the skills he/she learnt in campus and see how they work in real world. Finally, at the end of internship one has to ensure he/she knows how to fulfill tasks that are relevant to their desired field of pharmacy and sharpening the skills that they already possess. Currently in Kenya securing a job is difficult but at the same time it’s easy only if you employ certain features in you to ensure an achievable pharmacy career. Among the features mostly an intern should practice and a pharmacy student:

After graduation; after completing 5 years in pharma-school then what next? Most of graduated pharmacy students prepare for the first stage exams of Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB). When one passes, he/she proceeds to one-year internship programme supervised by PPB. The programme entails 2 months in Pharmaceutical industry, 3 months in a community pharmacy, 6 months in a hospital and 2 months in a level 2 hospital or a health Centre or a dispensary. This programme helps one to know the best area of work he or she feels fit, also helps build the future career of oneself since its part of the stepping stone to a

Networking and good communication- Make sure you make most of your degree-life/ internship and take advantage of all the opportunities that come in. Unglue yourself from the staying in class or on a desk get to know your fellow colleagues. This is the only way people will know who you are and what you are all about and most importantly remember you. That’s why we have Kenya Pharmacy students Association that brings all pharmacy students together as well as International Pharmacy Students Federation

The PH Magazine IPSF. Taking part of activities and events of these associations not only will create great memories and making friends but will widen your pharmacy profession network. Be proactive as early as now. Work hard in whatever you do – Always work hard even if your task is small or seems unimportant as an intern or student. It will help you build a good work ethic, and people will notice the effort you put in. I know internship life is very hard and tough but following the rules and instructions given makes it easier for both you and the place of work. With this feature securing a a good job isn’t difficult. Make Connections- In addition to the people who will be your future references, try leaving your internship and degree-life with new connections: senior, employees, clients, fellow colleagues, lecturers etc. These people can provide guidance, advice and help you in future job searches. Keep them in the loop about where you are in your career, and offer to help them whenever you can. To do this you need to make an effort during the course of your degree and internship to build relationships with them. Always remember you are more important than you think even though you are at the bottom of a career

ladder. You’re also needed and your basic work is appreciated. After internship pharmacy doctors wish to get jobs with that have high income. An advice from a colleague, that great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together and that success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. One should appreciate the first job he/she gets even if it’s a community pharmacist its worth better than not having a job. As a start let it be your roots to success, remember the journey of thousand miles begins with one step and it doesn’t matter how slowly you go so long as you don’t stop always move forward to achieve your future goal. It will reach a time when you look back down, the road the steps you made all adds up and you know you covered some distance. Pharmacy is a rich profession, to achieve this Ms. Musks once said the following: •

• • • • •

Listen to your own drummer - find your own niche, and don’t try to copy what has worked for other people, concentrate on discovering what the world wants and needs Dream big - What can you bring to the world that is unique, compelling and helpful? Be totally committed to success Don’t be afraid to fall - Realize that its impossible to avoid all mistakes and pitfalls Pay attention to the details success is the sum of details Build a trustworthy team of advisors and partners - No person achieves success by himself

Finally, the worry of not getting a job shouldn’t cross anyone’s mind because jobs are available, only that majority of us don’t look at it with an open mind. Don’t allow your pharmacy career be at stake. With creativity, inspirations, dedication, and hard work, your future starts now! By Kassim Sabwa - Kenya Methodist University

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A TRANSITION FROM B-PHARM TO PHARM-D

he doctor of pharmacy (Pharm D) is a professional doctorate degree also termed as clinical doctorate. The professional doctorate degree emphasizes practice competencies differentiating it from it form an academic doctorate such as the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which primarily focuses knowledge or original production of research. Unlike the BPharm, the Pharm D is a 6-year academic program. It comprises more of clinical aspects of pharmacy than BPharm does. Pharm D career opportunities include; clinical pharmacy practice- working in partnership with physicians, pharmacists increasingly assume responsibility for medication therapy management especially for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure aiming to help patients achieve desired therapeutic outcomes through appropriate medication usage, diet and life style choices. Community pharmacists are often on the first line of health care. There are more pharmacies that are cropping up within the community. This provides the need for more training to ensure that the pharmacist is well equipped with skills that pertains to patient counselling, drug administration and offering alternative treatment options. A number of countries are gradually re-evaluating their course content and incorporating more of clinical content to help in managing the growing population and disseminating health esp. through community pharmacies and clinics. This is aided by the Pharm D approach which as country we should have a sit down on it. Petronilla Wakio - Mount Kenya University

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CAREER ADVICE

o here is a document you don’t expect to see too much. Your Immediate LIFE after campus as a Pharmacy Student.

out on trips outside the county won’t be foreign to you.You worked hard, you’ve definitely earned it.But you’ll realise with time, two things about yourself.

Dear Pharm students.Im going to give you Financial Wisdom I wish I was given before my internship (which is guaranteed so long as you pass the board exams.And by guaranteed, I mean as per now til 2022.Anything can happen after that. Especially with governance such as ours.).Take what you can.But I sincerely hope you use what you can from all this.It just might save your financial life.Lets get to it.

a) If who you are without money is exactly who you are with money.Vulnerabilities of poverty make one humble by force.With that salary, you will really know who you are once Money problems are out if the way. From personal observation, many become loud and proud, and it never ends well for them.

1) Before you get the money, you’ll do a different form of tarmacking, in which you will feel.the heat.. The Ministry of Health will make you walk. You will walk to get signatures, documents and stamps.With deadlines.KCPE, KCSE,ID, Degree certificates have to be filled, signed and proved by law that you have achieved all these.Yes, this sounds easy.But you won’t think it as such with a two week deadline’. 2) After the 2nd salary, you’ll get used to the money. Suddenly popping up in your favorite clubs and restaurants with the latest Louis Vuitton,moving out, buying everything you’ve wanted and going

b) If you were meant for employment or not.You will basically need to show up to work and learn and get paid for it.In other countries,its normal, but here, only medics (including us) have that luxury.You should count yourself lucky).Some people will invest during this time, most people will work on getting employed by their stations.They could both be happy with their choices since both self and employment have their pros and cons. 3) People in your life will see you differently now that you are earning. Money will stop phasing you by the third salary.If you’re not a drug addict, you’ll learn all about the people that are in your life. -Those that waited on you to bear fruit to use you (family included...and they are the most common problem).

The PH Magazine -Those that you never knew you but all of a sudden your phone rings and there they are, asking for a hand out. -Close friends that you will have to lose after they con you money. -New friends that you never knew after they helped you invest and make more money. Its a whole new world after Uni.People will no longer see you as a student anymore but as a son, a daughter to be proud of or an ATM machine.You will be an ATM to someone in the long run.It is inevitable.We all will go through that no matter how frigid you think you are.That money you shall release.But how much is the question. Before spending any coin, lemme just point out a couple of things. --Spend as much money as you want with your first salary, you earned, it, you deserve it and you shouldn’t give a damn about it.5 Years in school, tell yourself thanks enough so much that you won’t waste the other 11 confirmed salaries you are to get. Have fun and enjoy it so long as you are SMART with the second salary moving forward.

Prioritise who to give a hand to. You know who deserves your money and who doesn’t. You know how I know? Because you are a pharmacist and you are not stupid. On a grand scale, you’ll do fine. Things are easy and besides learning on the job, your bank account will be fat enough to enjoy a proper middle class life for a whole year guaranteed (til 2022. From there, God help us!) Just don’t lose yourself in all the madness. Whichever path in life you choose, here is the thing. Money, only solves money problems. All the other problems in your life that does not involve money will remain.You have to be smart enough to dissociate your earnings from yourself and focus on solving those problems rather than thinking that the money you are earning will solve them for you. Be cool, be ready to learn.Be humble.Respect your superiors and learn to say “no” politely with no excuses. You are and adult now and adults can appreciate a “ no”, as long as it does not come with excuses or lies.Be a pro at that and you can be a pro at anything. Keep safe.Stay healthy

-From the second to the last one year salary.Invest in what you’ve always wanted to.Business, real estate, Pharmacies,, fishing, whatever you want to do, save and and focus on them.

By Denis Ngugi

-Grow yourselves beyond the world of Pharmacy if possible because life can be cruel and you can work so hard as a pharmacist but never will you be that accredited in that world the way you want or need to. It would hurt less if you had extra money in your bank account from the hustle your money has provided you.

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HEALTH

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MIGRAINES AND OTHER HEADACHE DISORDERS

eadaches are the most common conditions in our clinical settings with the majority of people opting for self-treatment using over the counter drugs. However, some forms of headache could be so severe requiring further intervention. Clinically, headaches are either classified as either primary or secondary. The latter arises from medical disorders unlike the primary ones (migraines, tension or cluster headache). To start off, migraines are a form of headache with a pulsatile excruciating unilateral pain. Below

twelve years it is more common in boys while above twelve years to girls. Peak age is 25-45 years. Various hypotheses have been formulated to explain the cause. The vascular hypothesis relates migraine to intracerebral artery vasoconstriction limiting blood flow to the brain. Neuronal hypothesis explains migraines as due to dysfunction in the trigeminovascular system that is regulated by serotonin neurons. Neurovascular hypothesis combines the two hypotheses. Migraines first start with premonitory syndromes

The PH Magazine lasting hours to two days followed by an aura then the headache starts at around sixty minutes later after which they resolve. The symptoms associated with it include photophobia, phonophobia, anxiety, blurred vision and pale face. The triggers are either of environmental, behavioural or food origin such as, alcohol, caffeine, chocolates, loud noises, flickering lights, strong smells, insufficient sleep, stress, strenuous physical activity, menstruation and menopause. It is therefore crucial to avoid such triggers during management. Acute therapy using analgesics, NSAIDS, triptans, ergots, opioids and antiemetics are employed to manage symptoms. The triptans, ergotamine and opioid analgesics are used for severe cases of migraine unresponsive to combined simple analgesics. However, it should be noted that excessive use of such medication especially the combined analgesics and opioids lead to a rebound headache. To avoid this, a drug free period of 2-3 days per week is recommended. Prophylactically, B agonists, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers are used when the migraine is recurring, producing significant disability despite the use of acute therapy and occurs in a predict-

able manner. For instance, exercise induced. Low therapeutic doses are first initiated then gradually increased until the desired effect is obtained. Gradual tapering follows and finally drug discontinuation. Non pharmacologically, placing ice on the head or sleeping in a dark silent room eases the discomfort. The other type is the tension headache that occurs mostly in the fourth decade of life with prevalence high in women. It has a distinctive hatband pain pattern that’s dull, tight and non- pulsating. It presents with no aura or premonitory symptoms and pain location varies from temporal to frontal region. Mild photophobia and phonophobia can be noticed. Lastly, the cluster headache is the severest form with an excruciating, penetrating pain of boring intensity. The pain mostly revolves around one eye accompanied by rhinorrhoea, lacrimation, swelling of the eyelids, facial sweating and miosis in some cases. The management for both cluster and tension headache are the same as migraine. Special consideration should however be given according to the patient’s condition.

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RECOMMENDED ACUTE COUGH THERAPY IN PHARMACY PRACTICE

cute cough accounts for a majority of pharmaceutical consultations in Kenya. Pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists, consequently, are the primary healthcare providers in this case. A cough is classified as acute if it lasts for less than three weeks. The major cause of acute cough is Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs). URTIs can be due to bacteria and viruses and include tonsillitis, rhinitis and common

Little or no efficacies(or insufficient evidence thereof ) of the drugs currently used in the management of acute coughs screams the necessity for extensive clinical trials for the development of more efficient and safer formulations. With this, pharmacists can offer validated advice upon choosing and dispensing of a particular drug. Alyn H. Morice argues that therapy by pharmacists based on the categorization of coughs as dry or wet

cold. The cough process comprises three stages; inhalation, closure of glottis that results in pressure build-up leading to a forced exhalation with a violent release of air. Coughing gets rid of irritants from the throat. Being a natural protective reflex, treatment with antitussives or cough suppressants may have damaging effects. Management of acute coughs caused by URTIs is usually based on symptoms, the intent being; suppressing the cough hypersensitive reflex as the underlying cause is naturally cleared. The norm of therapy is usually dispensing of OTC drugs. The problem is that most of these drugs have little clinically proven efficacies. The principle drug for cough dispensed in Kenya is Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressor that does not seem to have that much effect in relief but is relatively more efficient than other medications. Another is Codeine which should be restrictively dispensed as it is easily addictive and has adverse effects. A recent Pharmacy and Poisons Board report shows that youth in Mandera County abuse Benylin with codeine syrup widely. Other drugs include Menthol and Butamirate-which shows no greater cough reflex suppression than a placebo.

should be foregone. The amount of mucus produced in most viral coughs is little and in acute URTIS, there’s little difference between a dry cough and one that produces minimal sputum. Dispensing of OTCs should not be based on cough types since the chief aim of all drugs used in Acute Cough Therapy is the suppression of hypersensitivity of the cough reflexes. Rather, they should be based on the cough duration. Required steps to be taken should be: • Determination of the cough duration • Determination of associated symptoms • Provision of advice on OTC drugs based on clinically proven efficacy. If upon assessment the cough has lasted for more than three weeks, it is potentially a chronic cough due to another cause and the patient needs to be referred to a General Practitioner. If there are any associated symptoms, the pharmacist should handle this by adjusting treatment according to the co-existent treatment. An acute cough associated with URTIs is, however, in most cases, self-limiting and hardly needs significant medical intervention. Advise on options for symptom relief.

Jean Kasudi - University of Nairobi

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AFRICA’S MALARIA BURDEN

espite being a global disease, Malaria continues to deal a heavy blow to Africa’s collective economy. Several issues explain this disproportionate burden compared to other continents. One of the major issues is mosquito biology. It is important to understand that malaria is transmitted to humans exclusively by mosquitoes of Anopheles genus; there are about 500 Anopheles species in the world. Only about 40 are considered important vectors of human malaria. The complex biology of mosquito vectors greatly influences the transmission of malaria by the following ways: adaptation to different ecological habitats, adaptation to different hosts and contribution of different species to malaria infections. For one, the ecological habitats to which mosquitoes are exposed as larvae impact the physiology of adults emerging from those breeding sites with possible consequences for malaria transmission. This is illustrated by the case of the most efficient vector species (Anopheles gambiae complex) which is majorly found in Africa. The species are adapted to temporary breeding sites like rain puddles. This leads to reduced availability of nutrients for larvae, and, therefore, a short developmental time. Hence, the adults emerging from those breeding sites will be generally smaller in size and will need to feed more often as adults,

on blood, to meet their energetic requirements. This, in turn, creates more opportunities for transmission of Plasmodium parasites because a mosquito that bites more often will be more capable of transmitting malaria. What is also known is that some species are highly adapted to feeding on humans (highly anthropophilic) while others predominantly feed on animals. To transmit malaria parasites, mosquitoes need to have a certain degree of anthropophilia because they will need to feed on humans at least twice – the first time, bite an infected person and after sporogonic development is complete, inject parasites to the next human being. Many mosquito species with a high level of anthropophilia cluster in Africa which significantly contributes to malaria incidence. Finally, mosquito species found in Africa live in sympatry (they occur in the same geographical area at the same time) like Anopheles gambiae complex which comprises of eight mosquito species that are morphologically identical and can only be distinguished on a molecular level. What this means is that malaria transmission is complicated by this sympatry due to the different contributions of each species throughout the year, which, in turn, complicates control measures.

Christine Nyakerario - University of Nairobi

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MEDICATION COMPLIANCE SUFFERS

edication adherence is described as the act of filling new prescriptions or refilling prescriptions on time. Medication compliance is described as the act of taking medication on schedule or taking medication as prescribed. In a medical setting most of the time, these words are used interchangeably to describe the extent of conformity to the recommended/administered drug in relation to time, dose, frequency and duration. Majority of the population use prescription drugs with studies showing 40% of men and 66% of women between age 18 to 34 use prescription drug as the values increase with increasing age. Most of the prescription drug users are not able to afford their medications due to the high costs of medication. This has played a significant role to establish non-adherence especially to patients with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and post-surgical treatments. Patients have fled to use of non- conventional treatment modalities such as the use of herbs, and traditional treatments such as traditional Chinese medication. Some of the patients have even taken up the belief of astrology to circumvents the high cost of drugs while some of the patients have no other choice but to have faith in divine power and hope that their prayers will lead to the betterment of their health.

High drug cost generally affects adherence negatively. This leads to increased deterioration of health among patients and ultimately increases the cost of treatment to the patient. Studies have shown that only 5% of doctors follow up with their patients to know if they are taking the medication provided and if the patient is experiencing any challenges and side effects with the medication provided. This has put the medical providers at more risk since there will be an increased risk of these patients being readmitted to the hospital/ emergency room when their conditions worsen. New policies and guidelines on drug pricing should be created to curb this problem. The government should put in place laws restricting exaggeration of medication prices above a certain level with serious scrutiny to pharmacies that have high prices. Doctors should also follow up on their patients. This will reduce the cases of non – adherence, improve patients’ quality of life and ultimately reduce the cost of treatment to the patient. Doctors should also prescribe bioequivalent drugs that are cheaper and also provide options to buy medication in smaller quantities to make the patient more comfortable with the prices of drugs. Geoffrey Katsoleh - USIU-A

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PROTECTIVE FACE MASK IN THE COVID-19 ERA

ts day 11, the third month of the lockdown, 6 a.m, my usual day for work. I am considered essential, so it is business as usual with much enthusiasm for me and some of my mates, except for those few in dentistry. I am literally in a matatu enjoying the solemn, quiet, chilly misty drive to work, a whole two-seater seat for skinny me! Of course, this was not accidental! GoK has made sure that safety in public transport during this pandemic be a priority. Many thanks to W.H.O global campaigns across the globe on the needful and benefits of sanitizing with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, proper use of face mask and keeping a social but a “friendly” distance. This was the first pandemic where I had a chance to participate professionally to offer my little expertise in the disease control and management of any possible outcomes. The use of protective facemasks was the only sure way that we’re going to triumph this virus, CORONAVIRUS! Or, ‘CoVid-Virus’ as my 5-year-old angel calls it. She’s probably right, with the much information she could gather in this span.

Based on the scientific evidence published in major medical journals on the safety of the appropriate use of facemask in the prevention of respiratory infections, with specific interest to those due to pathogenic nature, I chose to adhere to the guidelines to the later. Even when I am going out for an afternoon walk along the riverbank of The Nairobi River in my in the hood in Kiambu County. I saw a huge problem in the larger population that is cognizant of the catastrophe the globe faces today, but choose to live lackadaisically. They have been living normally, the way our health CS has been quoted on the media as if everything is perfectly well! Consequently, the results have overwhelmingly expected with a rocketing number

The PH Magazine of new cases of infections and deaths as observed in Italy. In Kenya today we are stand at 3,215! https:// www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/ kenya/ Majority of the cases in Kenya are from Nairobi and Mombasa counties. Cities are centres of excellence in a particular country. In Kenya, Residents of Nairobi and Mombasa have highest literacy levels but incapable of sane reasoning! Citizens have to policed to wear masks! ‘Sell me one mask I don’t want to be arrested.’ A Nairobi resident at a pharmacy in Hurlingham. It is no wonder our numbers are rising

I have made it a personal choice to practice the ritual not as show off but, • In respect and in solidarity with my frontline colleagues who depend on PPE for their safety and that of their families. • When I am out and about, in my small village I consider myself as an agent of change and as a

sharply and steadily! These acts have turned our quarantine facilities into a 14-21day cell. Indeed ignorance is no defence! Fellow practitioners, some of them, unfortunately, fail us in this war by not following the guidelines they encourage the public to adhere. It is my prayer that we all practice what we preach and endeavour to learn. It is only after learning that we shall live to learn even more.

•

role model of good behaviour to my angel. Lastly, like those who have come before my time, I believe in the precautionary principle when it comes to this strange and frightening virus. Oliver Adeka - Kenyatta University

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THE SMELL OF GENETICS

knowledge of these people. We apparently smell good (in terms of body odour, not perfume, deodorant or oil), to a person whose genetically-based immunity to disease is different from our own, which brings me to a phenomenon called MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex). MHC genes are a set of genes that control how foreign molecules are presented to the immune system. They control the body’s immune response and effective resistance against pathogens. In humans, MHC is called HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen), and it also determines the compatibility of donors for organ transplants.

MHC dissimilar people - people with different MHC ur bodies have an intelligence of their own, genes from ours- smell best to us and are the best mates one that transcends verbal communica- because they provide a different immune system to tion and voluntary actions. This intelligence ours hence the ability to create stronger offspring involves pheromones which, unlike most other due to co-dominant expression of these genes. The hormones, are ectohormones, meaning they are more genetically different your partner is, the lower secreted outside the body and influence the behavior the risk of passing on recessive genetic disorders. of other individuals. Their effect is strong, but very Mating is a way of species continuation, and the unconscious. In insects and animals, pheromones are body’s innate intelligence can identify the best used to attract a mate when sexually aroused, to bond mate for us so that our most attractive qualities a mother to its offspring and to warn other animals to are passed on to our offspring and our weaker stay away, such as when cats or dogs use their urine qualities, in terms of physical appearance, predis(which contains pheromones) to mark their territory. position to certain diseases and other important factors, are balanced out or completely overriden Menstrual synchrony is an example of pheromone in- by our mate. For example, the female peacock is teraction in humans, where women who live together attracted to large, colourful feathers in males and or spend a lot of time together have constant com- thus mates with them, so the peacock has evolved munication using pheromones which influences to grow larger and more physically attractive.

the timing of their menstrual cycle (In Kenya we call it “pulling each other’s ovaries”, thus causing each other to menstruate at the same time). It’s said that this communication happens through smelling whiffs of each other’s sweat, and most studies believe that pheromones are secreted by sweat glands and sebaceous glands, their transmission being by scent.

The phenomenon of humans who are compatible with each other (MHC dissimilar) being attracted to each other’s smell also happens in fish, birds and mammals who prefer mates with different genetic MHC code compared to their own, which they determine using olfactory cues.

This brings me to the point of this article: The So, next time you find someone’s smell irresistproduction of pheromones is what attracts us ible, blame it on your genetic compatibility. to some people and repel others, without prior Hope Chebet -USIU

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PERSPECTIVE ON INFODEMIC

he practice of raising awareness, sharing information and education of science-related matters is key in this modern era of technology and enlightenment. Technical information should be distilled into comprehensible forms for public consumption. With an increasing amount of communication consumption by the population arises infodemic. This refers to an enormous quantity of information about specific matters of concern, which at times may be inaccurate and could have detrimental outcomes on finding solutions. In health, scientific communication is important as it is vital for use by persons in decision-making roles in patient management. The integration of locating, applying and sharing information about drug therapy is key. Health care workers identify, retrieve, evaluate, interpret and provide appropriate drug therapy and scientific information to achieve safe and effective desired patient care outcomes. Pharmaceutical care is a patient-centred practice and this, therefore, demands re-

sponsibility to meet all drug-related needs and accountability. Accuracy in information delivery then becomes just as important as the therapy. Scientific information must be relevant and sourced from reliable and trusted sources. Practitioners in the medical field have the responsibility to question facts and make professional judgments based on proof and credibility. This would in turn guide informed decision making. Of the many sources of scientific information, consumers are advised and encouraged to rely on authentic platforms. Scientists make their ideas available for publication after a rigorous process that encompasses discussions, collaborations and experimentation. These are then disseminated via vast outreach platforms such as journals, periodicals, textbooks and the internet among others. The internet gives currently updated information. However, these must be from professional or medical sites and not just random blog sites. The age of social media makes solution-seeking very difficult since inaccurate and falsified informa-

The PH Magazine tion gets spread like bush fire hence the surge of fake news. The ignorant public easily becomes the target audience for such. The COVID-19 pandemic has since proved the threat that is infodemic. Misinformation has run rampant since the outbreak of the infectious disease. Social media platforms especially WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok have had some of their users turn into self-proclaimed experts wanting to provide answers to the mysterious viral infection caused by SARSCoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2). Unproven information about medication therapy ranging from drinking hot water to kill the virus in the airways to eating fruits with pH as high as 22.7 (so cringe as the pH meter only has a range of 1-14) to create an alkaline environment for the virus to not survive to tea consumption at dawn. Conspiracy theories are another source of falsified information. Some people went ahead to attribute the outbreak of pneumonia cases caused by the novel viral agent to the 5G telecom masts being hoisted in major cities across the globe. Rumour Mongers continue to issue unverified alerts through malicious and alarmist statements through social and digital channels despite the existence of laws designed to curb such. According to the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act, sharing fake news and propagating hate speech attracts a two -year prison sentence or Ksh 5 million, or both. In an earlier public address by the Government Spokesperson, it was directed that fake and alarmist rumours should be investigated and prosecution of the authors carried out by the Directorate of Criminal investigations and the cyber-crime unit. This followed the emergence of a video that made rounds where a woman in the clip claimed that she was Kenya’s “patient zero” back in March. The Ministry of Health refuted the insinuation and discredited the speculation.

paranoia surrounding the unknowns of the unprecedented events happening all over the world of social media and the internet era, it is prudent to acknowledge that the public feels they are at risk. Additionally, they should be reminded that they are not experts. The way forward to tackle infodemics is to first understand the perspective of wants and expectations. This then should be followed by sensible arguments and cessation of the transmission of unverified information. Ignorance among public figures and influential individuals should also be discouraged as this will prevent the publishing of fake information in mass media. To fight false scientific information, the media houses must put collaborative efforts first and ahead of competition since collaboration is the only way out to fight misinformation. Competition, on the other hand, will only aid misinformation. The rest of the public should become assertive in helping to debunk and fight the onslaught of disinformation. I would advise people to focus on official sources of information while being skeptical at the same time. Sylvanus Manyala - University of Nairobi

It should be understood that amidst the panic and

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TELEHEALTH

Geoffrey Katsoleh - USIU-A

igitalization of the health care industry

every person has the right to the highest attainable

has proved to be the future of the industry by revolutionizing patient’s perception of health care and changed the way patients interact with health care providers. This has greatly empowered users to participate in their own personal and families’ health status.

standard of health which is also a fundamental human right. Majority of the Kenyan population is unable to access quality health services with much care received being triage from community-based health care providers and only those patients deemed to be in critical conditions being transferred to higher level hospitals. Also need for adequately trained health care providers has affected the provision of health services in Kenya. Use of telehealth services has ensured access to the highest attainable standard of health for majority of Kenyans especially those living in the rural areas.

Telehealth also referred to as telemedicine is the use of a digital platforms and telecommunication services for the exchange of information to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health professionals in the distribution and delivery of health care services system where by patients and health care providers are separated by distance. Telehealth has proved to be beneficial and cost effective than the conventional method and with the rapid growth of internet and smartphones use, telehealth has taken the center stage. Although telehealth knows no boundaries, greater prospects are seen in patients living in the rural areas as they are able to access quality and improved health care services without the need of travel. Article 43 (1) (a) of the Constitution provides that

Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an absolute restriction of movement and most hospitals and pharmacies have adopted telehealth services to ensure social distancing and manage the spread of this disease. Telehealth may have been unsuccessful in the past years but as seen in this fast growing and developing world change is inevitable. Technology has been integrated into our daily lives and its high time the health industry takes a turn for the better. Telehealth services are gradually rising and has successfully proved to be the future of the health industry as companies, hospitals and other health care providers slowly adapt in to digitalization of the health sector.

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MEDICAL FINANCING

he Kenyan health sector is one that’s mired

in a myriad of challenges and often it’s on the public spotlight over alleged misappropriation of funds. Just recently, there have been investigations launched at the Afya House with regards to fraud leading to loss of funds to the tune of thirty-seven million shillings. This is only the tip of the iceberg. A wide range of financial challenges face the health sector in terms of finances and this article seeks to unpack this. The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is the leading health insurance provider for most Kenyans. Most Kenyan citizens, especially of the middle and low class, rely on NHIF for health insurance. The government channels funds to this parastatal in billions to cater for most of its workforce some of which include the police, teachers and other professionals. However, in recent times it has been marred by widespread fraud and corruption which leaves the average Kenyan vulnerable to the fangs of poor healthcare. Greedy employees of NHIF have colluded with various brokerage firms and hospitals to register dubious medical claims and swindle large sums of money from the insurance provider. Just February 24th last year, it was reported in the Standard newspaper of a similar scheme which led to the loss of ten billion shillings. This has cast NHIF to the

deep end of the pool. Although individuals responsible have been accused in court and investigations being carried, there’s still much that could be done. The Ministry of Health receives much of its financing from the public through out of pocket expenditure by citizens who seek health services. Further, the government channels billions of money to the ministry every fiscal year to subsidize services to its citizens. Grants from local and international organizations and philanthropists are also worth mentioning. It’s crystal clear that the taxpayer is the major financier of the health sector in Kenya, but what does this reflect in terms of the quality of healthcare that the citizens get whenever they visit public health institutions? It’s safe to say that these funds are grossly mismanaged. Pharmacies often lack the necessary products which would otherwise be available. This situation is as dire as it gets and needs to be addressed. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Kenya and as the government struggles to contain the spread of the virus, it has also been on a spending spree. By the time of writing this article, Kenya had borrowed more than 206 billion shillings to aid in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease in just under one month. This is a tenth of the country’s entire budget for the whole year. The Ministry has also received grants from its local independent agencies such as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission which offered two billion shillings from recovered stolen assets. The government has been the spotlight over this manner of mindless borrowing and spending. That citizens pay for their time in quarantine and isolation centres is mind-boggling especially after billions have been channeled towards this fight. Medical financing in Kenya has been a process that’s not coupled with sheer accountability and transparency. This begs the question; will the situation ever improve?

Clifford Oluso - Kenyatta University

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TIBA VENT From idea to impact.

hile it takes several weeks – up to 6 months even, for a ventilator planning and design to be put together commercially, the first prototype of Tiba-Vent ventilator was produced in less than a week. If the ventilators successfully go through the clinical trials bound to end this month and are approved for use by the ministry of health, they will be available for mass production as from next month. Being an innovation, the first of its kind in Africa, and much more one by a team of young, budding engineers/medics who are barely through their courses, I consider this to be the ultimate epitome of a breakthrough. I got a chance to meet and talk to the lead inventor Fidel Makatia and co-inventor Cyntia Thuo for

the purpose of this article. My primary interest was turned towards the journey and inspiration behind the innovation. The result is this: a story with all sorts of lessons for all of us as young students, young person’s even, to learn. This is a story about going back to the drawing board to reflect on the practicality of the years of toil we give in our endeavor to earn our Degree Certificates, and Master’s certificates, and PHDs. This is a story to remind us all that it is not about our school’s systems, how inadequate our curriculum may feel at times, or how the job market is saturated and despairing. This is a story about now. About how we can identify needs and gaps in our societies and using the knowledge we have, alongside a lot of faith, courage, and determination, make it against all odds.

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How the idea was born It all begun on WhatsApp. After the school shut down, and the national alarm on the shortages of medical equipment in our hospitals to support critical COVID-19 patients went up, Fidel got the crazy idea that maybe together with his fellow students, they could help make the ventilators. He pitched the idea to his friends and classmates on WhatsApp and the responses he got, not surprising, were laced with doubt and pessimism. He did not relent though; so he created a WhatsApp group and sent out the invite. Only 15 people joined, and so the Tiba-Vent team was born. Next, they approached the school VC, Prof. Wanaina, who without hesitation, offered to support them on one condition: he needed to see proof of viability of their idea in a week’s time. You have to understand that Automatic ventilators are incredibly complex mechanical devices controlled by multiple microprocessors running sophisticated software. Nonetheless, despite the ticking clock, and virtually no prior ventilator-making experience, the team pulled all-nighters, digging through volumes and volumes of research to come up with their prototype. Lucky enough, diversity is their strength. The 16 students are from various departments: engineering, pharmacy, medicine, nursing and biotechnology, not to mention their mentors, acclaimed professors and doctors, all renown in their fields of practice. Several sleepless nights, long hours of research and hard labour, by the end of the week, the prototype was ready and so the VC gave the green light for the project to continue. Motivation behind the innovation. When I ask Fidel why a ventilator, he smiles, shrugs, and says, “I’m not a pharmacist, I cannot create vaccines. But I am an engineer, I can create things.!”. My next question of course is how he knew it would

work and to this, sure of himself, he laughs and replies, “Aye! We are engineers bana! After five years in school, we are supposed to be building these things, ain’t we?” Eager to use his skills, Fidel wanted to build something that would help. He says it has always been his dream to build things that matter and be able to use his engineering skills to solve crises and this was a perfect opportunity. That, and the amazing team of mentors who continue walking with the team still. For Cynthia Thuo, the humble, soft-spoken yet very talented lady leading the project’s Signal processing team, she has always had the desire to give solutions. He biggest motivation has been the ability to work with a team of people from diverse backgrounds academically and even in terms of personalities to partake in co-creation. The impact. The pandemic has gone a long way in revealing how truly inadequate the Kenyan intensive care units (ICU) are. According to the Kenya Healthcare Federation

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and Critical Care Society, there are only 245 functional ventilators across the 110 public and private hospitals in the nation and of these, 123 are already on use by other patients. When consulted on the estimated number of patients anticipated to require ventilation in case of 10,000 infections, Dr. Misango, a consultant anesthesiologist and the chairman to the Critical Care Society of Kenya (CCSK) said that would be about a third of them. Another report by KEMRI researchers hypothesized that an additional 1,609 ventilators maybe required to cater for the rising number of the patients in a six months’ transmission curve as from July. If approved, Tiba-Vent Ventilators could be a real time game changer for many of these patients, giving them a chance at fighting for their lives. The team reports the ability to produce about 50 ventilators a week. Globally, the project has put the team on the map. They won the 2020 Ubora Design Competition, and many institutions are opening up to work with them. The students also stand to benefit financially as they own 100% of the projects patent rights. The school has benefitted by having the Engineering department create waves for itself globally. As a result, they are already receiving partnership requests from various parties interested in working with them to build laboratories and partner in carrying out research projects. On a more personal level, the team leader is proud that they have been able to prove that Africa can do it

when it comes to innovation and moving towards self-sufficiency. Not only that, but also that as a team, they are serving as a source of inspiration to other students as well to step up and pitch their innovations. The take home message. Tim Sander said: “Education without application is just entertainment.” As the nation’s elites, it is up to us to use the knowledge gained in school to think outside the box and provide practical everyday solutions to the challenges in our societies. If we did not think we could do it before, let Tiba-Vent be the reminder that we can. We can use our ideas to liberate ourselves from social pressures like diseases and poverty. We can create systems that will liberate Kenya from international debts. We can use our knowledge to implement self-sustaining systems for us and the generations to come. We can re-write our entire history by being more innovative and inventive. Yes we can! The question is, what will you make of what you learn in class? Fidel and his team express their sincere gratitude to the entire Kenyatta University management for their support. Danielle Mwende - Kenyatta University

The PH Magazine the data can be shared between the patients and their doctors computers or smartphones remotely.

THE PHUTURE OF HEALTH CARE Healthcare Jobs of the Future Look so much like Tech Jobs. Technologies from Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Virtual Reality(VR), Augmented Reality (AR), 3D Printing, Nanotechnology, Telemedicine, Robotics, Big Data among others, are all candidates for use in the healthcare field and in the near future, you will witness this. If you’re aspiring to pursue a career in the healthcare industry, it’s time to learn what’s coming so you can prepare accordingly. If you’re already in the medical industry, adding a tech background to your education will be the best deal for you to remain relevant in this field in the future Virtual reality is now used to train medical professionals; one study found that over 90% of radiologists trained using VR technology diagnosed splenic artery aneurysms more confidently. It is predicted that within the next 5 years, the value of VR will grow by 30% in the medical field. 3D printing is so much promising in the medical field for printing artificial limbs, bones, braces, pharmaceuticals and even artificial organoids that can replace failed organs;. It has been demonstrated as capable to print tissues like the skin and blood vessels so far. Artificial Intelligence has been employed greatly in the medical field; from wearables to nanotechnology. You will not be surprised to see a patient suffering from chronic diseases with a smartwatch helping them to monitor their blood pressure, temperature, motion, sleep or even heartrate and all

Complex problems faced by the pharmacy field, such as the opioid crisis and avoidable hospital readmissions, can be solved or their impact minimized by use of machine learning. AI and machine learning when used together may have a great multifaceted impact on the efficiency of pharmacy operations, patient-centered care and healthy outcomes. They are advancing decision making at the point of care. Nanotechnology is being used in diagnosis e.g. cancer biopsies by use of smart pills for colonoscopy, GI disorders buy use of Atmo Gas Capsule; treatment e.g. Stomach ulcers by use of microbots, Constipation by use of vibrating motor capsules; Smart bandages which are made of hydrogel and can be left out to until they dissolve hence facilitating wound healing process; among many other uses. Robotics have a wide use in the medical field from; Assisting in surgeries, disinfecting hospital rooms, dispensing medication,: believe it or not these plus others are the tasks medical robots will soon undertake in our hospitals and pharmacies. You would rather have a rObot fumigate your neighborhood after confirmed cases of COVID-19 than have human beings do it with fear and fail to do a complete disinfection. Telemedicine is helping save a lot of lives that would have otherwise been lost due to unavailability of a medical personnel. patients in remote areas are accessing high-quality emergency consultations for Chronic diseases, or any other complaints. As you prosper in any field, just consider having some knowledge in these upcoming technologies. Don’t be surprised to see yourself replacing your patient’s hipbone with one made from a 3D printer or even have your prescriptions filled by robots. Gathai Mundia - Kenya Methodist University

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BEAUTY Wendy Mumbi - Kabarak University

ow we feel about ourselves. The positive energy we invest into ourselves dictates how beautiful we become. All of us are born beautiful, glowing and blooming like a flower, with the courage to walk fearlessly in the streets, in our most authentic selves. Smiling from ear to ear, because we are confident in ourselves. We don’t need positive affirmations from our surroundings to boost our self-esteem, neither can negative declarations about us bring us down. This is beauty. Inner beauty. Treating people with kindness, being grateful and apologizing when we’re wrong. Protecting our inner peace maintains our beauty. Keep your peace, keep your power.

Keeping up with a great skin. This applies to all ladies and gentlemen. Drink plenty of water for a clear skin, and yes, this comes with a lot of trips to the washroom. Cleansing in the morning and evening is a must, regardless of your gender, whether you wear makeup or not. We should moisturize religiously, every single day using products with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and emollients. Eat a healthy, clean diet with less proportions of processed foods, trans-fats and sugar. “you are what you eat’’ applies to our everyday beauty. Exercising regularly, helps our body get rid of toxins through sweat, and makes our body look and feel better. Sleep enough, or more if you can. Beauty sleep is not a myth. Let’s work hard and also get our sleep hours in for great looking skin.

The PH Magazine She’s working overtime at a restaurant and she has only one thing on her mind that keeps her going that little jar of savings she has stashed away labelled “new titties”. She swears she’ll die alone with her 50 cats if she doesn’t get a bigger pair (of boobs not cats).

Erès Hermosa y Erès Hermosa

hat is the true definition of beauty? Back in the early 90s the answer to that question would have been someone with fair skin and blonde hair. Later in the century the answer would be someone with the big afro and bell bottom pants.Today the answer would probably be someone with smooth, lustrous, gorgeous skin, so moisturized radiant that the midday sun grimaces in her presence. Beauty has so many variations that equating it to one specific aspect would be doing it a great injustice. She gets up early to squeeze in a few minutes to do her eyebrows, God forbid they seem mis-shapened. She hates her huge forehead and kinky hair, how it always seems to have a brain of its own and a rebellious attitude, how it can’t stay straight for two minutes. He’s rushing through traffic. He can’t be late for his lip-filler appointment. Is he aware of the consequences of filler? Of course he is, but is he going to stop? No, I mean who has thin lips anymore? Girl, you’ve got to move with the times.

She makes up an excuse to leave the dinner table .Her food baby is threatening to burst open her blouse buttons. She goes behind their house to throw up. No she is not bulimic. She’s simply creating space for more. Her mother’s wise words “Fat are beautiful, and beautiful women getting rich husbands”. “Eyes on the prize,” she tells herself as she gobbles another mouthful. She is 9 years old. She is beautiful, he is beautiful, and they all are in versatile yet wonderful ways. The beauty standards set today border on the insane, take for instance lip filler, injection of the hyaluronic acid into a blood vessel can lead to necrosis and tissue death. Body dissatisfaction is a major contributor to mental health issues that we face as young people today. Although body image concerns are not a mental health condition in itself, it can precipitate major issues such as eating disorders and overall mental problems. The mental health foundation study found that 50% of 18-24 year olds and 20% of all respondents said they worried about their body image. This just goes to show the impact on mental health. It is time we started appreciating ourselves. Now, I know I may sound a bit corny but beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I mean who would have thought that dark skin and full lips would be considered to be gorgeous? But look at us today. Erès hermosa y Erès hermoso. You are beautiful. Bridgitte Atieno University of Nairobi School of Pharmacy 3rd year.

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MENTAL HEALTH

t is common as human beings, to be sometimes happy or sad. Sometimes we joke and mock others about being crazy or going nuts. We have all had an exposure to mental illness of any kind, either directly or indirectly, but do we really know what it is? Mental health is the level of psychological well-being, the absence of mental illness and the state of someone who has a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment. However, mental health is more than all that.

Without mental health, there is no health. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It concerns our way of thinking, feeling and acting. It affects how we handle stress, relationships and ability to make choices. There are three major causes of mental health problems. They are Biological factors such as genes or brain chemistry, Life Experiences such as trauma and Family History of mental health problems.

The PH Magazine There are a variety of mental disorders. - Anxiety Disorders. They include; Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder and Phobias. - Behavioral Disorders. They involve a pattern of disruptive behaviors of children that last for at least six months. They include; Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder and Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD). - Eating Disorders. They involve extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors involving weight and food. They include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. Sometimes mental health problems and substance abuse disorders occur together: a) Mood Disorders. They include; depression, bipolar disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and self-harm. b) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Here, one has repeated, upsetting thoughts called obsessions and repeated actions called compulsions. c) Personality Disorders. They include; Antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorders. d) Psychotic Disorders. An example is schizophrenia. e) Suicidal Behaviour. f ) Trauma and Stress Related Disorders. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after living through a traumatic event. These people experience a range of symptoms including hallucinations and delusions. An example is schizophrenia.

and memories in one’s head and hearing voices or believing things that are not true. Since mental health is an integral part of the general health of a human being, we all need unity to protect our own and others mental health. This can be done in ways such as providing early childhood interventions that includes protection from threats, social support for the elderly, mental health promotional activities in schools and places of work and promoting the rights, opportunities and care for individuals with mental illnesses. Currently, there is no cure for mental disorders. However, mental health professionals such as psychiatrists base their diagnoses and treatment on the symptoms that a person exhibits. Their goal therefore in treating, is to relieve the symptoms that are interfering with the person’s life so that they can function well. For instance, depression can be treated with psychological treatment, whereby, for moderate to severe cases, antidepressants are administered. In conclusion, mental disorders affect the better part of a person’s health. It causes one to have a dark and horrid experience wrecking them from the inside. It becomes very difficult for them to speak up. They opt to suffer, and when suffering gets too much, they are left with one choice. To join the darkness; suicide. Therefore, much as we may not have disorder, it is our responsibility to protect ourselves and entire humanity. By June Cherop Lokwee Kabarak University

Some of the early signs of mental illness range from as simple as eating or sleeping too much or too little to the extremes of thinking of harming oneself or others. Other signs include yelling or fighting others, having persistent thoughts

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COPING UP 7 :10 a.m Monday, Pharmaceutical Chemistry III ‘cGMP’ class, remotely placed at the back. Thoughts of, it is almost done and getting tougher just make me at sea. The yellow streak hits back. Three years now, I would be in moot courts having my last tort law unit, accomplishing my childhood dreams. Numerous unanswered questions cross my mind. How far do I clown after she left? Does she like me back? They are all fake friends! Adulthood was so overrated, let’s play all-in-all, bye-and-bye. 7:52 a.m, I am still blank in this class. Questioning my mental stability: bipolar, attention deficit disorder, general anxiety, mood disorder or

a dissociative disorder. My coping mechanisms and defence mechanism being very weak and unidentified. A study by Morir, F. Yielder, Sanson J., Chen Y (2018, Depression and mental health in medical student) reveals that 60% of medical students having mental health concerns, 42% had sought relevant coping mechanism. Pharmacy students being part of the group, many have issues with personality recognition and development and depression. Therefore, depression and personality disorder are the records. Every chapter would confess of a member suffering of either of the two MDs, right? The way we act and express ourselves, the daily interactions and the

The PH Magazine activities effect on our cognitive functioning. Personality disorder (PD) is inaptness in interactions, coping with stress and problems. The various PDs we meet are antisocial, paranoia, Schizoid PD, Compulsive PD and Passive-aggressive PD. PD is associated with indifference adapting to the ever-transitioning life in pharm school. Victims have difficulty in trusting friendship. Mood disorder is a disorder associated with inadequacy coping with emotions. When it becomes uneasy handling an emotion. Clinical depression, manic depression and bipolar affective disorder being mood disorders. Clinical depression features a deep feeling of worthlessness, hopelessness and helplessness. Manic depression would result in the wildly elated and impulsive mood. Bipolar Affective Disorder has two alternating in cycles. PD and Mood Disorder both result in shortcomings in relations and mental stability. So, how long do we take before we self-examine or share with friends or get to do psychoanalysis? Long right? When it is already a mess and the street is not safe. The self-evaluation is

important in recognizing your personality and behaviour. It keeps us away from anxiety and depression. The parameters of studying our personality are our reactions to emotions, the daily interactions, our stressors and activities. Avoiding or recovering from PDs and other MDs is conceivable. Furthermore, the solution revolves around us, the social interactions that build and elevate. Making friends and spreading positivity is the best technique. Humans react with equal energy to effort. Having small chats, hugs and regular compliments earns us reciprocal energy. The boosts impulse us away from anxiety and loneliness as the levels of oxytocin rises. Having a good rapport with a number of friends assures us of solved problems. Our personality is then in for nurturing in the set ground, round and round. Pharmily, text, greet, hug and talk to a colleague.

Amadi Rene - Kabarak University

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IT IS OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY I may not have much to show As per the standards set by all But still I stand this day To show my all… Per that which I have made standard. Crying in the rain has been a norm, Counting my failures to my pillow too, Scars buried under wounds are my tattoos, But despite it all… I stand to be counted among the strong. Of those bearing the ruins of the war. Everyday may never be a good day, The sun may shine to all But seem to just scorch a few, The wind may come with its soft breeze, And still shake you to your core, But in it all… We find the strength to take that step… To keep moving. It’s okay not to be okay always, It’s okay to just stop and see how far you’ve come, Breaking down to be built right up… Just never stop…never call it quits.

I forgive myself and rid me of the guilt, I accept I may never have it all, Never get to be on top of things… But again… In my weakness I’m made strong, And thus I count me as strong… Thus I stand. There maybe seem to be no one… No one to hold us when we stumble, No one to speak for us when words fail… No tunes rich enough to sway hearts But again we are here… May have no words to say… But we have the voice to yell it all out… It’s okay not to be okay, It’s okay to seek help, It’s all okay… Your life matters… Stay alive… I love you. ©Taurus

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PAIN AND PLEASURE

try to keep it easy like a Sunday morning should be but my phone vibrates and wails as my third alarm goes off at 5:45. Just enough time to jump into my running gear and take coffee as I gaze at the breaking dawn. Sparing longer than 15 minutes to prepare, allows the god of sleep to lure me (and I’m weak).Luckily it’s showery and the child in me wants to go out to play, no one is stopping me now because it is assumed I’m grown. Ideally my run starts at 6:15 after warm-up but I’m African where punctuality is at times a vocabulary. The first 3 km is nothing much, unless you start with an ascent that’s a different story. I have abundant ATP, I can feel it in every thrust, yeah I was built for speed. The body; rejuvenated, guess the caffeine is working. Befitting playlist is set so my ears are parting, oblivious of the sacrifice the lower extremities are making. Still slightly dark, only human outlines are visible so I’m sure I won’t stumble into someone later express “Hey, I saw you run like a chicken”. Tibialis anterior starts off the running gait every cycle coming with hope and determination until the plateau phase. Now feeble, muscles feel like detaching from my skeleton and joints drained of their synovial fluid. My legs and fingers are ponderous due to filled blood. The heart gave up on rhythms, lungs are gasping for breath and I’m

sweating like one with withdrawal symptoms. Even the mind doesn’t want to take charge over matter. Woe unto you if a boda guy lures to take you home at this weak moment. 7 years of armature running, although 5 of tried consistency have never fully relieved this pain. I keep thinking to myself: Gifted are those who work to sustain a fit hobby for they, unarguably, make their bones out of it (literally or figuratively). Runner’s high checks in… trickling down endorphins and pleasurably the body takes charge slightly past half the run. I am in a happy place. I quicken my pace to become leaps, the trees blow ululations and the drizzle drips plauds. I start to feel the rhythm of the run and the shoes hitting the ground. At this moment I feel like Kipchoge in Vienna Park with the Nike Vaporfly, record breaking as the nations watch. Living in the moment I could die for. But, I’m in these local Nairobi roads with ‘severe hyperventilation’ at a pace of 6’05”. It’s the mind that we need to conquer, right? Right? At the finishing point of my semi-weekly 10km or fortnightly 21km I vow that only a deranged man can put themselves through that again. Crazy enough I still set the alarm

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ver wanted to begin your yoga journey but just did not know where to begin from? Fear no more because I’m here to provide you with a basic guide to understanding some of the most popular options available as well as whether they suit your mental and physical needs. Hatha is a gentle slow paced style that focuses on controlled breathing and holding asanas (poses) for some time. The simple stress relieving poses are a good starting point so if you are a beginner this yoga style is perfect for you. Hatha yoga calms the body, mind and spirit in preparation for meditation. This relaxation makes the restorative parasympathetic nervous system dominate thereby lowering heart rate and blood pressure. Comfort is key so wear well-fitting gear. Ashtanga AKA power yoga is faster paced and more

demanding physically. If you are up for a challenge this is a good yoga style for you because it requires endurance to get through most of it. The best attire is fitted stretchy clothes to allow for deep stretching and twisting. Power yoga decreases stress and builds muscle strength Vinyasa style focuses on breathing passed with the movement through asanas. If you are looking to lose some extra pounds this style is the best for you because the faster pace and strength building poses increase calorie burn. Breathable fabric is required to provide the necessary flow through the fast paced asanas. In Iyengar, blocks and straps are used to provide proper alignment to support joints and muscles. Recommended for relieving back or neck pain especially if you spend a lot of time on your desk

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KNOW YOUR YOGA STYLE with poor posture. Comfy loose clothing is essential so that the body is not restricted. The benefits of this style is increased range of motion and muscular power. It also helps ward off osteoporosis thereby improving bone health Kundalini involves chanting mantras and breathing through energizing movements. It is a spiritual experience suitable for explorative individuals. It rectifies channels and awakens the root chakra. Thin, lose, relaxed clothing items should be worn for comfort. Birkam AKA hot yoga is a 90 minute practice of moving through 26 poses in 105 degrees heat. It’s ideal for improving one’s flexibility since the heat and extended period of stretching boosts flexibility and strength. For this style light weight fabric should be worn due to the elevation of temperature. Hot yoga

generally improves circulation and helps us sweat out toxins. Yoga acts as a stress reliever which can prevent the occurrence of stress induced hypertension. The physical health benefits of yoga are numerous; it improves sleep and posture, lowers blood sugar, prevents cartilage and joint breakdown, drains lymph and improves immunity. So if you were having second thoughts on giving yoga a try, stop thinking and act. Get on that yoga mat and stretch your way into a healthier and happier lifestyle. With love from your local yogi, Namaste. Riaga Nereah - USIU-Africa

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TRAVEL

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1O REASONS TO GO FOR STUDENT EXCHANGE

The PH Magazine 1. Make lifelong friends SEP gives you the opportunity to meet new people from your host family, work colleagues and other Pharmacy students in the country you visit. The bonds you will make are going to be unforgettable. 2. Traveling is easy Are you interested in travelling but you have no idea where to begin? Then SEP provides you with the perfect excuse to travel. This is true since you will be able to do an internship in any field of pharmacy at the same time get to explore a new country. Travelling has never been this easy, you will get an invitation letter which will smoothen your Visa application process. The best part about SEP is you travel on a college budget, this means you only need money for your air ticket and pocket money everything else is covered. 3. Become Bilingual/Multilingual The best way to learn a language is by living in the country where its spoken. SEP has many countries participating in it with many different languages spoken. 4. Expand your interests Maybe you are a natural flamenco dancer or have you always wanted to try surfing? Being abroad allows you to encounter new things and you will never know what you truly love until you try it!! 5. Exit your comfort zone This a chance for you to go on a solitary adventure. Being away from family, friends and basically an environment you are accustomed to will allow you to be more independent. You will be able to take risks and overcome everything that at first may have seemed overwhelming. 6. Become a culinary pro/foodie A new country means new food. Living with a host family will enable you to try new cuisines and even better learn how to prepare local meals. Every trip to the grocery store will be an adventure. 7. You will see your own culture in a new light Being immersed in a new culture will help you take a step back and realize what is unique in your own culture and it gives you a new appreciation for it. 8. Good stories/memories I believe what makes us unique as different individuals is our stories and experiences. The experience of travelling and doing Pharmacy abroad is great for your resume. Not only will you have a unique story for your job interview but also nothing says “independent go getter” than travelling to the other side of the planet. 9. A chance for self discovery Leaving your family and friends means relying on yourself more. By exploring a new country and culture on your own, you will be able to discover a new side of yourself that you probably didn’t know you had. 10. Have an upper hand in your Pharmacy career “Pharmacy is a dynamic and diverse field” this a statement often thrown around. However as a student you wonder what that even means? SEP is an opportunity for you to broaden your view of Pharmacy. Pharmacy practice is somewhat different in different parts of the world ,there are so many things you can learn about Pharmacy through SEP. Doing SEP gives you an upper hand since you will gain workplace skills and experience for your resume, professionally network and even gain mentors and you will be able to maintain a life and work balance.

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MEDICAL TOURISM - CONVICTED!

uilty! You have been sentenced to

thirty-five years behind bars for third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. What if I convicted you of this crime? “Please” landed in the ears of two cops - deaf to both common sense and empathy. “I can’t breathe”, the story went viral. “They’re going to kill me.” They did. And the status updates began… The World Health Organization (WHO) warned

in May 2020 that nearly a quarter of a billion Africans could contract coronavirus in the first year of the pandemic. By June 13th, 2020, the tormented African continent dodged the predictions of the WHO by recording 225,126 confirmed COVID-19 cases. However, the numbers kept rising. We lead in corruption, poverty and negligence. We lead in an array of aspects that we ought not to be leading in. It seems we are blind to the world-accepted notion that winning is a positive phenomenon. No one ever awarded

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Hitler, Theoneste Bagosora or Mao Zedong a Noble Peace Prize. In the midst of this pandemic, as poor decisions and mismanagement of the scanty medical resources become blatantly evident, even to the common man, we are still silent. We are the “standing cop”. “I can’t breathe.” With our hands akimbo, we hear but do nothing. There are no status updates, no posts and no noise. We move on. How can entire nations exist without basic medical sectors, yet no one utters a word? No one joins the movement. “They’re going to kill me.” We are quick to run thousands of kilometers to put out the fire in the home of a stranger while neglecting the fire we set in our own homes. We metamorphisized into the body, mind and soul of “that cop” taking action against the wrong man. To an onlooker, with every status, every story update and every post we are saints. We are dignified, validated and have every right to scream “INJUSTICE!” on top of the empire state building of social media. We are a perfect gentleman on one knee (black suit and bow tie), holding up a custom-made ring. Our leaders have invested

billions in seeking medical treatment beyond our continent borders, a scheme that has been coined “medical tourism”. We hold that ring, hoping that our flaming ignorance of “medical tourism” (that cost our continent an estimated USD$6 billion in 2016) will simply be “sorted out” by the same society that is fanning the flames. How many hashtags did this term receive? George Floyd was his name. Standing up for him was as right and natural as taking tea with your morning bread. How do you vocalized the problems of a man who “sort of” looks like you yet ignore the sufferings of your biological “twin”? It took 8 minutes and 46 seconds to render an innocent man lifeless. Will it take 846 years for the deaths caused by “medical tourism” to be addressed? “My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. They’re going to kill me.” And you killed him. Case closed! Carolyne Njoki Chege University of Nairobi

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STUDENT AND HUSTLE

Brianben Kilonzi

PHOTOGRAPHER

The PH Magazine Gathai Mundia: What inspired you to choose photography as your hustle? Brianben Kilonzi: I had a passion for taking photos with phone cameras so I thought I could do better with a bigger professional camera. market gap in my area of residence was also a huge factor so I thought of it as a business opportunity. Gathai Mundia: Do you think you are a good photographer and if so, what do you think makes you stand out? Brianben Kilonzi: I get better with time. The more I shoot and edit, the more I learn new tricks so yes I am good at what I do. I pay close attention to light because that is the rock building photography. Photography is all about light. Gathai Mundia: What is the most interesting shoot you have ever worked on and how did it impact your take on photography? Brianben Kilonzi: Am working on an album right now with 10 artistic pieces. when it’s complete I hope the message will be received warmly Gathai Mundia: Has your hustle helped you financially? Brianben Kilonzi: Yes. In the past 3 years, I have learned how to procure contracts from NGOs, county governments, institutions like universities, churches, and also from fellow students. They all pay very well, except for students who of course prefer free services. Gathai Mundia: How do you strike balance between work and class? Brianben Kilonzi: I work with the highest bidder. If the money is good, then I can risk a whole day out of class, but this rarely happens. I get most of my jobs during the weekends. Gathai Mundia: What are your top 3 tips for any student interested in photography as a side gig? Brianben Kilonzi: Get the skill, good gear, and practice a lot . Gathai Mundia: If you could have a chance to work with any renown photographer/model, who would it be? Brianben Kilonzi: I love facial models. Anyone who can give me the emotions I am looking for while I shoot. Gathai Mundia: Do you think your photography skills can be incorporated in pharmacy practice in any way? Brianben Kilonzi: Yes. Product advertisement. When a new drug is in the market, photography will be a cool tool to put it out there

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STUDENT AND HUSTLE

Tabby

BAKER

Describe baking in your ideal 3 terms. A: Baking is therapeutic, a stress reliever and fun. When did you form your interest in baking and how did you transform it into a hustle. A: In 2017, I attended Wondrous school of baking. However, I managed to do only 2 levels out of 4. I sold my first cake in April 2018 and that’s when my hustle was birthed because I gained confidence in myself after that first sale. How long have you been in thee baking hustle and what are some of the important lessons you have learnt this far? A: I have been in the baking business for two years now. I have learnt to be patient and to always trust the process. Every step in the baking process is important, even the slightest detail while putting together the ingredient is vital.

The PH Magazine How profitable has your hustle been and would you encourage any other interested person to try it? A: It has been quite profitable because I have actually grown in terms of finances. I have been able to purchase baking equipment and ingredients solely on my own whereas in the beginning I depended on my parents to do so. Therefore, I can fully fund my business right now. I would definitely encourage anyone that’s interested to try it out because I am sure they will love the process of baking. Once you get the hang of it, it will be a good source of money and you get to have fun while making the money. How do you balance hustle and student life? A: To be honest, it has been a bit strenuous to balance hustle and student life. This is because I cannot bake from school so I have to go home. This means that I don’t take orders during the week, so I am only limited to weekends and holidays. However, I always look forward to going home and doing what I do best. I believe with passion and believing in yourself, balancing both hustle and student life becomes pretty easy and the challenges you face, you are able to handle them quite well. What would be your practical top 3 tips for any other student who would like to do baking as a hustle as well? A: Use a humid oven by putting a water bath inside the oven, this will prevent the cake crust from being hard. Also, there’s a temperature rule I always use: small cakes like queen cakes and cakes that weigh a half a kilogram and lower require higher temperatures i.e 220 degrees while the larger cakes require lower temperatures like 160 degrees. This is key because a cake bakes from outside inwards and we do not want a cake that has browned yet it’s not ready. Finally, the cake batter should be of medium consistency: not too dry and not too runny. One should ensure the batter is fluffy and thick. What is the most interesting aspect of what you do? A: The art of decorating is what I always look forward to in the baking process. I get ideas from my customers, Google and YouTube. The fact that I get to decorate a cake in a certain way gives me the “winning” feeling. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? A: In 5 years, I want to own my own bakery. I want to have a website/page platform where I can get orders easily and attract more customers. I want to have a delivery person to cater for those who want their orders delivered. I still have a long way to go but I believe in taking things one step at a time and I am sure I will get to where I want to be soon.

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ANCIENT ROOTS Our business name: Ancient Roots Business Bio: Ancient roots is a beauty and health care company that was started in February 2020. Our products are derived from local raw materials with almost no extra processing, no additives, or preservatives, meaning 100% natural. Ancient roots focuses on pure coconut oil which is suitable for hair and skin. Our coconut oil has the magical smell from the coconuts’ palm trees in the coast region of Kenya. Rosemary infused coconut oil is also available for sale. It works wonders to ease headaches and can be used as a massaging oil to calm the nerves. Benefits of Ancient Roots Coconut Oil • It acts as a natural sunblock and moisturizer for the face. • The most natural make up remover • The perfect hair moisturizer to keep the hair shiny. • Hair growth oil Our jar of coconut oil goes for ksh 450. Ancient roots is an online established business. Our Instagram handle is @ realancientroots. The product is also available to be ordered via whatsapp and can be reached at 0716822381 or 0741767845. For any further inquires, you can contact Nur Said on 0716822381.

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