The world of a Mukorino doctor

Dr Isaac Gitiha during an interview at Our lady of Lourdes Mwea Hospital in Mwea, Kirinyaga county on March 24, 2022. [David Gichuru,Standard]

At a glance, Dr Isaac Gitiha doesn't strike you as a witty, fun-loving young man who is trying to build a career as a medical doctor, with his eyes trained on orthopaedic surgery.

He recalls, amid bouts of rib-cracking, the moments he has been the subject of ridicule arising from the fact that a man of his faith, a Mukorino, has chosen a road less travelled by others like him - medicine.

“Sometimes you would hear people joke that the only time you will see a Mukorino in a university is when they are going to take pictures. During my graduation someone asked if I had just borrowed my gown,” he adds bursting out into laughter.

He has to almost always explain himself to people who assume he is an intruder and up to no good.

Dr Gitiha recalls being stopped by a watchman when he and his other colleagues were visiting hospital wards in his third year in medical school.

"Boss, unaenda wapi?" the watchman shouted, promptly separating him from his classmates who burst out in laughter.

Dr Gitiha is an intern at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Mwea.

He ascribes to the Akorino faith and proudly wears his turban at work, in a field with very few of his kind.

Dr Isaac Gitiha with a nurse at the dialysis centre while attending to a patient at Our lady of Lourdes Mwea Hospital in Kirinyaga county on March 24, 2022. [David Gichuru,Standard]

He is glad to be among the trailblazers in the medical field for the Akorino community who seldom believe in conventional modern medicine.

"My father often says one should go to the hospital first, as prayers for healing follow," he says.

Inspiration

His dream of becoming a doctor started when he was young after realising he liked helping sick people.

“I feel like this is a calling, even in the Bible Jesus was sending the 70 people out, and one of the instructions was to heal the sick. As a doctor we have an opportunity to do that, knowing that He (Jesus Christ) is the healer, we only treat.”

Dr Gitiha grew up as a sickly child. It was the doctors who inspired him to become one of them.

His parents supported his dream of being a doctor although they kept on wondering where he got the idea from since none of their church members was a doctor.

When his father received the calling letter to the university, he stopped everything he was doing and rushed home to break the news.

Dr Isaac Gitiha ascribes to the Akorino faith and proudly wears his turban at work, in a field with very few of his kind. [David Gichuru,Standard]

“My family was overjoyed when I got that letter because finally, I was going to achieve my dreams.”

Had his parents had not approved of his dream career because of the Akorino faith, Dr Gitiha probably would have dropped it.

“My sister is a nurse now and I’m sure I contributed to her career choice," he recalls.

According to Dr Gitiha, many people who ascribe to the Akorino faith have ventured into different careers unlike before.

“I always get funny reactions even from my patients because the first thing you see when you meet me is the turban. You will hear them saying, Wow we have a Mukorino doctor! I first laugh with them before assuring them I am there to help them get better,” he says.

He now enjoys working as a doctor since he gets the opportunity to practise what he has been learning at medical school.

“The only challenge is that sometimes it is hard to tell when to stop working, especially because you are dealing with human beings, you find yourself doing extra hours but when you look back, you are happy you did it,” he says.

His teachers had always been supportive, probably because there were few Akorino students those days.

Dr Isaac Gitiha says he now enjoys working as a doctor since he gets the opportunity to practise what he has been learning at medical school. [David Gichuru,Standard]

He could not even break school rules because teachers would spot his turban a mile away, he jokes.

His patients are however happy being attended to by him, saying that at times some have asked him to pray for them because they associate his turban with spirituality.

 “I am focused on the holistic care of patients and I know the Mission hospital offers such. We say everyone is sick not only in terms of disease, but you have to look at the physical, mental health. I give hope to people here,” he says.

And his parents never shunned modern medicine.

 “Even at home when one of us was sick, my parents would tell us, go to the hospital, we will back you up with prayers. I encourage people to always embrace health-seeking behaviour.”

Despite the few challenges he has faced due to his turban, he is proud of wearing it.

He believes that a turban is a sign of priesthood, although some of the people who ascribe to that faith have stopped wearing them.

He advises young people to always follow their dreams urging parents to encourage and support their children’s dreams, always remembering to glorify God in all they do.

Motivated by the success of David Wachira (PhD) who is an economist with the World Bank in the US, Dr Gitiha says anything is possible, and that his Mukorino tag is just but a symbol of his Christianity that doesn't limit his dreams.