Johansen Oduor
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1970 |
| GENDER | Male |
| OCCUPATION | Chief Government Pathologist |
Biography
The challenges that members of the community around him faced birthed the calling to pursue medicine. Little did he know he would rise through the ranks to become the Chief Government Pathologist.
Dr Johansen’s Oduor grew up in Eastlands Area, Nairobi County. He got to witness the healthcare challenge typical to an informal settlement in Kenya; poor sanitation, lack of access to healthcare facilities, and shortage of medical supplies, just to mention a few. These challenges ingrained in him the desire to offer a solution to his community and that is how he ended up in medicine.
Johansen Oduor Education background
He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Nairobi. It was during this period that his passion for forensic grew and laid a solid foundation for his career specialization. He graduated in the year 2000 and later on pursued a Masters in Pathology, at the same university.
What does pathology entail?
In 2013, he was appointed Kenya’s Chief Government pathologist taking over from Dr. Moses Njue. His role entails investigating deaths that have taken place under circumstances that require legal scrutiny. He performs autopsies to determine the cause of death in unnatural circumstances, collects and analyses forensic evidence and prepares reports on the findings of the autopsies. He works with the police, investigative agencies and legal teams to shed light on the causes of death. He also serves as the head of the forensic division in Kenya, under the Ministry of Health.
In the course of his career, Dr. Oduor notes that the most difficult cases he has handled include that of Rita Waeni’s murder and the Shakahola massacre. The Shakahola massacre, he said, was specifically due to the level of treatment meted out on the victims.
His career has not been without its fair share of challenges. Speaking in a past tv interview, Dr Oduor stated that he has once contemplated on quitting his pathology career. This was owing to the conditions that met him at his first job upon graduation from university.
Challenges in the profession
“I was not keen on pursuing postmortem. I used to fear (the career) myself due to discrimination but after graduation, the Ministry of Health posted me to City Mortuary. It was my first time there. I was hit by a stench, and I contemplated leaving but when I analyzed the services, I found out that the clients are from areas such as Kibra and Mathare. I questioned myself how they would be served if I left the profession,” said Dr. Oduor.
In his leisure time, Oduor loves to listen to music. Little is known of his family that he has kept away from the limelight. His role model is the late Prof. George Magoha whom he speaks of as a strict but a kind man.
As it stands, Kenya has a shortage of pathologists. According to the Ministry of Health, there are approximately 150 of them serving a population of 47 million Kenyans.
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