CAREERS: I study poisons and their effect on human beings

Dr Joseph Wahome is the chief pharmacist at Meru Teaching and Referral hospital in Meru County. He oversees the department of pharmacy.

The arrival of a patient that has ingested poison is a cue for him to set aside his managerial duties and wear the hat of a clinical toxicologist.

“Toxicology is the study of poisons and their effect on human beings, animals and the environment,” he says. Poisons can be from drug overdose, industrial chemicals, pesticides, plants and animal toxins.

Working closely with the clinicians at the hospital, he assesses the patient and advises on treatment. If it is a never seen before case of chemical poisoning, he teams up with other researchers, and together, they work to find the treatment needed.

“We are all exposed to a wide variety of chemicals and although some have been of great benefit to the society, some chemicals are a threat to our health.”

These chemicals could be in the form of pesticides in the food we eat, pollutants in the air we breathe and chemicals in the water we drink.

Besides treating, toxicologists advise on ways in which we can avoid injury from chemicals and how we can manage accidental exposure to harmful chemicals not only in human beings, but also in animals and the environment. To arrive at this, they combine elements drawn from many scientific disciplines and apply modern molecular, genetic and analytical techniques.

Doctor Wahome’s specialisation is in clinical and analytical toxicology, which involves providing support for the diagnosis, prognosis and management of poisoning. There are many other fields of toxicology, such as environmental, regulatory, industrial, occupational, forensic and pharmaceutical and forensic toxicology. Forensic toxicologists for instance perform scientific tests on bodily fluids and tissue samples to identify any drugs or chemicals present in the body, while occupational toxicologists assess hazards and risks posed to health by chemicals encountered at a workplace.

“Some view toxicologists as alarmists, but the fact is that we are human conservationists, whose job is to protect mankind from toxins in the environment,” he says, adding that those in his profession play the role of guardian angels by assessing chemicals and toxins based on their harmful effects, and then enlighten the public and policymakers. Anything that can harm or is injurious to the human body is of interest to us. “

The bachelor of pharmacy graduate from The Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R Medical University in Chennai, India confesses that although he had an interest in pharmacology since childhood, it was not until 2011 that his interest in toxicology was piqued.

“My mother, now retired, was a nurse, and worked in Kerugoya District hospital, so I grew up in a hospital setting. Each time I visited her at work, I’d make a point of interacting with the many health caregivers there, though the pharmacists especially interested me. I enjoyed watching them dispense medicine - this is what informed my decision to study pharmacy. “

Soon after graduating in 2003, Wahome got a job as a pharmacist with the Government of Kenya.

“When I started my career, I focused on working to find a solution to the various diseases that affect us, what I term as the “good side of drugs”. However, when I enrolled for Master of Science in pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Nairobi in 2011, it occurred to me that there was a key gap in my field – there wasn’t much information about how some drugs and chemicals in the market affect us. I decided to turn my career towards that path. Besides interpreting results of analyses in poisoned patients, I am also involved in operational research. Currently, I am carrying out a risk assessment study to find out why cancer is so prevalent in Meru County.”

Should you wish to follow in his steps, Dr Wahome emphasises on exemplary performance in sciences at secondary school level. At the university, one needs to have a good understanding of what pharmacology, biochemistry and physiology entails. Presently, the course is only offered at masters level in Kenya.

OTHER ATTRIBUTES

Besides academic qualifications, there are other attributes one needs to make a fine toxicologist.

“One ought to be a good communicator in writing and in speech because you will need to write detailed reports of your findings. In my line of work, sometimes I come across suicidal patients, so it is important to know how to handle them. Also, an interest in analyzing and integrating data from different sources to reach a balanced conclusion is essential. To succeed in the industry, one also needs to have good networking skills because toxicologists work closely with other specialists such as clinicians, counsellors, environmentalists, and disease surveillance experts.”

According to Dr Wahome, although toxicology is a field that has been around for decades, it is still unexplored in the country, which means that there is demand for toxicology graduates.

“When I enrolled for my master’s program, there were only two of us in my class. I, therefore, believe that toxicologists have an easier time finding work in today’s job market.”

They are in demand in institutions such as research centers, hospitals, various industries and learning institutions.  The pay, he says, is handsome, and is pegged on factors such as one’s specialisation and experience.