Cancer care nurses graduate from Aga Khan

The first batch of nurses specialising in the care and treatment of cancer patients from the Aga Khan University (AKU) graduated on Wednesday.

Speaking at the 14th graduation ceremony in Nairobi, the university’s president, Mr Firoz Rasul, said the rising cases of cancer in the country necessitated the creation of a curriculum specifically for nurses handling such patients.

According to Dr Eunice Ndirangu, the head of academics at the school of nursing and midwifery, the oncology course is one of a kind in the country and is only offered at AKU and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.

A total of 80 students of AKU graduated.

“The students who just graduated were selected mainly through the support of their counties and their medical service providers who saw the very high need for more specialised skills and knowledge in oncology nursing and palliative care,” Sharon Brownie, the School of Nursing and Midwifery dean, said.

Johnson and Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust will sponsor the course making it possible for more students to be trained in the next class.

The valedictorian of this year’s ceremony was a graduand of the higher diploma in oncology nursing course.

Ms Immaculate Wambugu, a nurse, said her next step will be to develop a similar course, where she can train other nurses.

“My employer sponsored my studies, and they allowed me to be out of work for two days a week,” she said.