By Joyce Wanjiku

This year’s celebration for the Black History Month was launched on Monday, February 7 at the auditorium. The celebrations were centered around exploring the legacy of Black Scholars and Practitioners in the medical field, exploring unrecognized activities, rituals, and initiatives in healing that Black communities have relied on for their health and wellness as well as questioning and discussing the injustices faced by the Black/African communities in accessing proper medical care.

Participants were treated to various activities including performances by Mchezo-Africa and the Music Club, speeches, screening of different documentaries and panel discussion touching on impacts of COVID-19 and other epidemics on Black/African communities, Black/African mental health and Black/African women wellness.

During the opening ceremony which was attended by staff, students and faculty from various schools and departments, the patron of Black History Month Committee Dr. Njoki Wamai, Assistant Professor of International Relations, welcomed the participants to engage and discuss ways that will improve Black/African involvement in the field of medicine. Also, present at the opening ceremony was Prof. Martin Njoroge, Dean, School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS) who thanked the participants and organizers of the event.

In the panel discussion, Dr. Eliab Some, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Dr. Francis Ndemo, Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Science (SPHS), and Timon Mbati, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Major, discussed the power of herbal medicine in revolutionizing the field of medicine and the need to continue researching and carrying out proper documentation on herbal medicine. Additionally, it was pointed out that the rituals and initiatives by the Black/African community are not recognized, yet research that shows that herbal medicine has acted as a perfect antidote in most ailments.