DR. JOHN ODERO ONG’ECH-IN THE DREAMS OF MY FATHER:: From A Humble Beginning to an International Award Winning Medical Doctor (Prof Augustine Afullo Biographic Series- Documenting the Undocumented)

This autobiography of a renowned award winning Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Obs/Gyne) consultant in Nairobi, Kenya, gives highlights on how to change life fortunes from low to top society. It has 13 chapters, the last of which is purely photo gallery. Chapter 1 sets the scene by outlining the roots of Dr Ong’ech, otherwise called Aruba by his father and close friends. He is the son of Jeremiah Ong’ech Ogola (Dola) of Kamhore, jakabondo and Mama Siporah Achieng' Ong’ech. The Karodi is a clan of heroes, from where the great Ogutu Kipapi (Kachwiji) the fighter; the great Dr Walter Otieno who discovered the Malaria Vaccine; Melkazedek Andiki from Kagaya, the great pioneer Yimbo graduate teacher who brought schools to their top level achievement; Otip (Okola); and a nephew who is a top Gor Mahia player. Chapter 2 highlights the birth & early childhood of daktari, followed by education & training in chapter 3. Born in Yimbo some 55 years ago under a Kwogo tree, a birth overseen by a traditional birth attendant, Dr Ong'ech’s father dreams on his 11th birthday of a son who would make a great doctor. His late father dropped from Usenge Sector School in late 1930's in class three, but promising himself to come back to the same school big, now Usenge High School (UHS). Over 4 decades later, Dola sends Odero to this same school where the son does not disappoint. Odero registers the second best KCE result in the entire history of the school, earning a place in the Prestigious Kericho High School where, alongside his top UHS classmates, he meets Prof Morris MacObong'o and Dr Benard Odhiambo Odoyo. He passes KACE exams with flying colours, becoming possibly the first ever Jakamhore to become a medic, and an award winner. Thus his father’s dream of UHS rebounce and top medic both come to pass as Mzee watched. At 55, he is a retired, yet not tired, award winning women’s doctor with gifted hands, living his father’s dreams in multiple ways. Through mentorship by Drs Willis Badia Jang'olo and Hayangah GT, he specializes in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, later taking up a prestigious Humphrey Hubert Fulbright Scholarship to undertake an MPH degree. From the latter he rates highly in research, health systems (HSM), monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Chapter 4 of the autobiography is on marriage life, followed by parenting experience in chapter 5. Chapter 6 recognizes Dr Odero's roots, presenting the great Ong’ech (Dola) genealogy and family in which Dr John falls in as number 5, alongside 2 brother and 4 sisters. Chapter 7 focuses on Daktari's working life, promotion, culminating to an honor of a top national appointment as the CEO of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), an appointment he respectfully turns down in principle. Having grown through the ranks of KNH to the professionally top most position, Dr Ong’ech takes an early retirement to focus on his successful private practice. Chapter 9 highlights Daktari’s numerous corporate social responsibility endeavors- service to community. Chapter 10 registers an extremely sad moment of one \Dec 2009: a gun-shot tragedy that throws the entire family, the profession, Kamhore, Yimbo & Siaya County friends & family into deep confusion. Chapter 11 contains Daktari's friends, relatives and professional colleagues’ tributes. It presents a fairly good ending of a successful life which began on a low note; humble beginning to an award winning medical doctor. Incidentally, other than the Fulbright (2001/2), The Fulbright Alumni award (2009), The Company of the Year Award (COYA, 2013) award; the KNH CEO (2018) award; Daktari triumphantly takes a top 3-year award as Safaricom’s health advisor on his 55th Birthday, aligned to the completion and release of this moving title ‘in the dreams of my father’. Let Daktari’s star continue shining till he gets a top national and global award in his private practice in medicine, health, leadership, Obstetrics & Gynaecology where he continues to shine more than ever before. Read more