Doctor Nchafatso Gikenyi Obonyo was on Wednesday, June 14, honoured by Queensland Health in Australia for his immense contribution to the health sector.
The Australian Health body recognised Obonyo for his work in sepsis with the Critical Care Research Group (CCRG). The CCRG is a world leader in critical care research aimed at improving patient outcomes.
According to Queensland Australia, Dr. Obonyo's contribution could save millions of lives worldwide.
"Incredible work, Dr. Obonyo. Well done to you and your team," the organisation wrote.
While studying at Alliance High School, Obonyo was fascinated by the medical profession. As part of his volunteer work, he dedicated his time to hospitals and nursing homes, where he had the opportunity to interact with doctors who inspired a career in the field.
Obonyo graduated from the University of Nairobi and was posted to Kijabe Hospital as an intern.
Starting as an intern at the hospital, he witnessed the unfortunate loss of several critically ill children due to septic shock resulting from blood-borne infections. These incidents sparked a deep curiosity within the young intern, compelling him to explore alternative treatment methods in an effort to aid the afflicted children.
"Each month we conducted a mortality audit, and almost any patient who came in with septic shock didn’t survive, despite using the recommended treatment guidelines—that’s when I started looking for alternative treatment methods," he stated.
In 2011 he joined the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust Research program to examine the supporting evidence for the septic shock treatment guidelines.
He was later awarded the Global Health Research Fellowship from the Wellcome Trusts Centre for Global Health Research at the Imperial College London for his work on the management of septic shock in critically ill children.
"This is important work. Trying to change the outcome for patients with sepsis, by understanding the mechanisms and going back to science and pre-clinical lab," Obonyo remarked.
March 2023 witnessed the medical officer's remarkable achievement as he emerged victorious in the highly competitive science category of the esteemed Africa Top 40 Under 40 Awards.
The awards serve as a platform to honor exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who have made notable contributions across diverse fields.
