Kalolo Chitembo: Young doctor with a passion
Published On October 10, 2017 » 3248 Views» By Davies M.M Chanda » Features
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. Chitembo

. Chitembo

By JULIUS PHIRI –
INSPIRATION is something that has driven many people to make various career choices, but it was not so for one youthful medical doctors who chose to study medicine because of his asthmatic condition.
At 26, Charles Kalolo Chitembo is a medical doctor at Chipata Central Hospital in Chipata District in the Eastern Province.
Dr Chitembo decided to render the services to the people in the field of medicine after developing asthma, a chronic disease in which those with the condition experience repeated episodes of having difficulties in breathing.
Born on April 1, 1991 in Lusaka, Dr Chitembo narrated how at a tender age, he developed bronchitis which later became asthma.
“It started as a bronchitis which changed to asthma. Most of the times you find that you are being rushed to clinics such as Makeni, Chawama and Kanyama at awkward hours for you to be attended too. You get to familiarise yourself with such an environment and come to consider the hospital as your second home,” Dr Chitembo said.
He explained that initially, he looked at the nurses and doctors not only as heroes and heroines but as role models too.
That is how at a very tender age, he started contemplating studying medicine so that he could help provide services to communities, especially to people suffering from asthma.
“So from a very young age, I wanted to do medicine in order for me to help out and see how I could contribute to help another child with asthma just the same as I was helped,” he said.
Influenced by his decision, he remembered how he paid particular attention to biology and anything medical related when he went to high school in Chikankata from 2003 to 2007.
But he faced discouragements from some people who told him not to continue with what he was intending to do but rather pursue law or accounts so that he becomes either a lawyer or accountant.
As part of his vision, Dr Chitembo also harbours aspirations of working for global organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Doctors without Borders.
Dr Chitembo does not mind vying for political office either as long as it gives him a wider platform to reach out to people and help him promote public health awareness.
Dr Chitembo, who pursued his studies in Medicine and Surgery at China Medical University, a top institution for studies in medicine in China, said he does not consider himself the most intelligent person.
However, he describes himself as being a determined, goal oriented person who believes that nothing is unattainable as long as one maintains the passion and works hard.
Dr Chitembo, who is a holder of a Chinese proficiency certificate from Shandong University, is not only articulate and fluent in Mandarin (Chinese language), but also in English, Tonga, Bemba and Chewa.
He is currently learning French so as to improve chances of hopefully working for the organisation, Doctors without Borders.
“I hope I can one day find a cure for a disease or develop a surgical technique that will help in the medical profession. I am inspired by young, smart, hard working people who have managed to make it at a young age and I believe if I can do something now, why wait until I am 50 years to achieve it; Kofi Annan (former United Nations secretary general) is an inspirational man and why can’t a Zambian head an international organisation such as World Health Organisation?” he asked.
During his tour of duty in the rural urban setup, he has involved himself in public health campaigns with the help of the Eastern Province Health Office under the Ministry of Health, believing that promoting public health awareness is as vital as providing medical services.
He said he feels that ignorance affects the Zambian people more than any other preventable disease, especially in rural areas.
Because of his interest in public health awareness campaigns, Dr Chitembo is a fun of social events.
Last August, he was involved in the Choova Bicycle Race and HIV Counselling Testing and Treat (HCTT) which was held in Chipata.
“Once we get rid of ignorance and poverty, I feel we can get ourselves to an even playground with developed countries,” he said.
Dr Chitembo, who is a junior resident medical officer, said he has already worked in a number of hospital department like paediatrics (which deals with the babies) as well as the general and orthopaedic surgery.
He is currently working in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology where he will be stationed for the next six months.
“I wouldn’t discourage anyone wanting to become a doctor. What matters most is the passion, because if you have a passion and a will to do something, there is nothing that can stop you,” he said.
The youthful medic said he knew many people who had been nurses before he upgraded from working as a clinical officer to working as a doctor.
Dr Chitembo believes that working hard is the only solution to achieve objectives in life.
When he was posted to work at Chipata Central Hospital, Dr Chitembo was jittery and somewhat sceptical because he had thought it was wrong to start work in Chipata instead of Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
“I was thinking that working at University Teaching Hospital was the best thing to do because you get to work with senior doctors, but nevertheless, so far it has been a great experience because in terms of skills surgery, you have to practice it more, you need to take part in operations and you need to get to see so many cases. You don’t need to rely on other people to help you so and it pushes you to read more,” he said.
Dr Chitembo said he was not regretting for him to be at Chipata Central Hospital because he was able to see a number of patients per day.
He said working in a rural–urban area has enlightened him to various problems that need to be addressed, such as the delay in seeking medical attention by people who prefer to use other methods.
“Working here (at Chipata Central Hospital) has been good because I am very close to every doctor at this institution. By the way, I am Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) Chipata Central Hospital branch secretary general,” he said.
He did his senior secondary school in Chikankata from 2003 to 2007 and was involved in Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS) where he served as president in 2007.
In 2009, he attended University of Zambia (UNZA) for few months.
Thereafter, he got a scholarship and went to China for his proficiency certificate from 2009 to 2010.
From 2010 to 2015, he pursued his studies in medicine and surgery at China Medical University.
Having nearly concluded his internship, Dr Chitembo is now planning to do his masters.
“Somebody has to know what causes those attacks because it is different and what causes asthma is allergies. So one has to find out what triggers those allergies: it might be food, the dusty, the flowers around you, it could be perfume; so myself when I left Zambia for China, I never had an asthmatic attack and right up to now it’s not as severe as the time when I was young,” he said.
Dr Chitembo says whenever he meets parents or guardians with asthmatic children, he sits them down and tries to understand the condition.
He said parents and guardians should always be patient when taking care of asthmatic children because the illness requires patience.
However, being asthmatic is not the end of life because according to Dr Chitembo, the illness can easily be managed.

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