DR. GEOFFREY MUTUMA - PIONEER IN CANCER CARE
DR. GEOFFREY MUTUMA - PIONEER IN CANCER CARE
29th November 2023
Dr. Geoffrey Mutuma is the former Chief Government Pathologist, and a household name in Kenya when it comes to cancer treatment. His expertise illuminates the intricate paths of medicine and has for decades helped thousands of cancer patients battle this devastating disease. He is the founder of one of the most trusted cancer treatment facilities in Kenya, Zambezi Cancer Hospital, and a lifelong Member fellow of the International Union against Cancer (UICC).
Education Background
Dr. Mutuma was born in Nzewani Village, Yatta on 24 February 1962. He attended the University of Nairobi in 1984-1989 for a Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery. He later pursued a Master of Medicine in Human Pathology and Medical Microbiology in 1990-1993. He afterwards attended the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia in 1995-1997 where he graduated with a Diploma in Forensic Medicine.
Dr. Mutuma also holds a Diploma in Medical Jurisprudence of the Society Apothecaries of London (1995-1997), in the United Kingdom (UK). In 2000, he joined Bethesda University, Maryland, in the United States, where he graduated with a Diploma in Principles and Practice of Cancer Prevention and Control. In addition, he graduated from the Emory University, Atlanta in the United States, with a Certificate in Cancer Registration, Surveillance and Control. In 2002, he did a Certificate in Clinical Immunology of Infectious Diseases and Introduction to Molecular Biology from the Suez Canal University, in Ismailia, Egypt.
Professional Background
Dr. Mutuma has had the pleasure of working in multiple facilities in various capacities. He has performed diagnosis and treatment of disorders related to cancer. With his track record of working experiences, he was appointed as a specialist in pathology by the Kenya Medical and Dentist Board in 1998. He served as the Senior Research Officer at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), in 1998-2001. He returned home and founded the Nairobi Cancer Registry at Kemri in 2001. During this period, he trained medical records officers to collect data on all newly-diagnosed cancer cases from the year 2000 in their respective hospitals, laboratories and radiotherapy units. Without these statistics, the government could not even create a proper national control strategy. The country was basically throwing fists in the dark.
Dr Mutuma was at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in 2000 when the US National Cancer Institute sponsored him to train in cancer control and prevention. He later became the Principal Research Officer in 2002-2012. He also served as the Head of Oncology and Pathology Research Unit in 2004 to 2022. In 2003, Dr. Mutuma became the Chairman of the National Biotechnology and Non-Communicable Diseases Research Programmes, a position he held till 2012.
Working in close partnership with BF Suma - a global health product company that focuses on the research, development, manufacturing, and marketing of health supplements and functional foods - Dr. Mutuma offers weekly trainings to its distributors for quality assurance. Some of the products often include vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, and other nutritional ingredients. Moreover, on a regular basis, Zambezi Cancer Hospital carries out free cancer screening walks to people in over 7 counties.
These events often involve providing accessible and affordable screening services, such as mammograms for breast cancer or screenings for other types of cancers. The goal is to detect cancer at an early stage so as to ensure treatment starts early, giving the patient a higher chance of survival.
It is obvious that Dr. Geoffrey Mutuma is a man who has single handedly navigated this intricate oncology and pathological landscape with precision and expertise. If tissues, cells, and molecules could speak, they would praise him for his lifelong dedication to the art and science of oncology and pathology.
By John Toris & Edwin Austin
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