We are excited to announce our two newest Clack Family Fellows, Dr. Manakhe Nassiuma and Dr. Henok Teshome. As 2023 Clack Family Fellowship awardees, they will receive funds to continue their neurosurgical education in their home countries.
Dr. Manakhe Nassiuma
Dr. Manakhe Nassiuma is an aspiring neurosurgeon from Kenya. Her home country has only 39 neurosurgeons for a population of 53 million residents. Of the 39 neurosurgeons, only 4 are women.
Dr. Nassiuma is in her fourth year of training through COSECSA and is currently on rotation at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTRRH), an approved COSECSA training centre. She has steadily grown in micro neurosurgical skills, especially in clipping aneurysms and neuro-oncology. Recently, she had the opportunity to make an oral presentation on cognitive outcomes following endovascular coiling of ruptured aneurysms at the continental Association of African Neurological Surgeons (CAANS) conference. Dr. Nassiuma’s program director is Dr. David Oluoch-Olunya and was referred to apply for the fellowship by FIENS Board Member, Dr. Mahmood Qureshi.
The funds granted to Dr. Nassiuma will provide her with exposure to other services both locally and abroad as she approaches her last two years of training. It will also ease the need for her to perform out of hours locum shifts and enable her to focus wholly on research interests and preparing to become a consultant in the neurosurgical field. FIENS is proud to support Dr. Nassiuma in becoming the 5th female neurosurgeon in Kenya.
“The fellowship will ease the need for me to perform out of hours locum shifts and enable me to focus wholly on research interests and preparing to become a consultant in the field.“
Dr. Henok Teshome
Dr. Henok Teshome is a 5th year resident at Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences, Department of Neurosurgery. Dr. Henok’s program director is Dr. Thomas Bogale.
After finishing his residency, Dr. Teshome has a short-term goal of establishing neurosurgery service in Eritrea. Dr. Teshome said, “Currently, there is no neurosurgeon in Eritrea, and I want to be the first one to provide this vital service. I believe that by doing so, I can contribute to the development and well-being of Eritrea and its people.” He also has a long-term dream of advancing East African neurosurgery service into cutting edge level.
We look forward to sharing updates on the progress of these ambitious neurosurgeons who will save and improve the lives of many in Kenya, Eritrea, and Ethiopia and inspire other practitioners to pursue neurosurgical education pathways.
“This fellowship is very important because it will relieve my financial burden and allow me to pursue my passion for neurosurgery.“
