Mercy Achulu: a Parasitology and Entomology Specialist

By Steven Arwa

Laboratory analysis and diagnostic procedures play an integral role in the proper and successful discharge and provision of medical care and services at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

Results provided by laboratories impact clinical decisions and in the process, equip doctors, nurses, and physicians with medical details and objective data concerning their patients’ health.

Kenyatta National Hospital is one of the institutions that has greatly invested and relies upon the laboratories to provide its clinical officers, doctors, and nurses with diagnostics that support clinical excellence.

Newsline got an opportunity to sit down with Ms. Mercy Achulu a laboratory technician and the only female expert on Parasitology and Entomology at KNH Parasitology laboratory to find out more about herself, her career, and the importance of the Parasitology laboratory in KNH.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Mercy Achulu and I work at the Parasitology Laboratory as a Parasitology and Entomology expert. I am a jovial person, a team player, and am also very strict when it comes to work.

Has it always been your ambition to work as a laboratory technician and specifically a Parasitology & Entomology specialist?

Growing up, I always admired people wearing white lab coats, and I knew that one day I will also be in one. I wasn’t sure which medical field I wanted to be in, but I just wanted to be in a white lab coat. When one mentions Parasitology, people believe it is all about stool which is not correct. I had a mentor at the lab called Martha when I started at the laboratory and she helped me a lot. When one has no specialization, they rotate their workstation. Martha held my hand and mentored me, I learned a lot from her. One time she asked me to specialize in Parasitology even though I was skeptical because people have the notion that with Parasitology, one does not go far, but I decided to follow her advice and I have never regretted the decision.

There is a lot that is in Parasitology that many people do not know or understand and I think this is the root cause of most of the misconceptions. Therefore, I guess this is how I got to find myself in the Parasitology laboratory.

Briefly describe your typical day at work.

On a normal day, I arrive at KNH at 8 a.m, I clock in and decontaminate the work area and benches. After that, I run the internal quality control to see if the machines are working well. Then process my daily lab work which I start by first, receiving samples, process and analyzing them then I pass them on to my colleagues to counter-check my results to ensure the results released are accurate, then I document the results. Apart from other duties that may arise during the day. My day is spent around the laboratory.

What does it mean to you to be the only female in your specialization at KNH?

To me, it is a great honor and opportunity to have an impact on my department and the whole hospital at large.

I was sponsored by KNH to study Master of Science (MSc) in 2021 to study Parasitology and Entomology and no one applied in Parasitology so I took that opportunity and applied for it. I am currently doing my MSc in Parasitology and Entomology from JKUAT currently doing my thesis.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered in the course of discharging your duties?

I have encountered some challenges such as internal communication mostly between the person working in the laboratory, the health records, and the doctor.

Sometimes you may find that some laboratory records are missing therefore, you may have results but diagnoses are missing therefore, lack of all information derails our work therefore, sometimes lack of proper internal communication becomes a challenge whenever I am discharging my duties.

Secondly, being a quality officer, one of my roles is organizing people. This sometimes becomes a challenge whenever one or two people do not embrace the team spirit.

Ms. Mercy Achulu, Parasitology and Entomology Laboratory, KNH

PHOTO | STEVE ARWA

How have these challenges impacted your life and career at KNH?

I am a perfectionist, hence these challenges have humbled me and in that process made me a better person. As a quality officer, I have the opportunity to interact with my colleagues at a personal level allowing me to understand them individually. Also being the only female specialist in the Parasitology laboratory, I feel that more is required of me in terms of setting high standards, not only at work but also in life and where I want to be in the future.

Any future career plans?

Currently, I am working on finishing my thesis. Parasitology and Entomology is a very broad field that I am yet to fully understand, therefore, in the future, I will venture into research in Entomology.

Parting shot

Parasitology and Entomology practice are very interesting. I encourage more people especially ladies to venture into. One should not listen to the analogy that it is a boring profession or fear that they might lack employment opportunities once they finish their studies.