Dr. Claire Kinuthia is a Specialist Obstetrician/Gynaecologist practicing in Nairobi. She is passionate about medicine, living a healthy lifestyle (health and fitness) family, food and travel. She is also the powerhouse behind the award-winning health blog theycallmedaktari.com.
1. Your first phone?
It was a Nokia 5210. I remember saving for ages to buy it. I loved that it had such a cool unique case and when I finally got my blue one, I was different from most people around me who at the time had the Nokia 3310. #treandsetter
2. Between Facebook and Twitter, which one do you prefer?
Definitely Facebook
Why? It’s much more versatile and I find it a lot easier to use for my personal posts as well as to share blog related posts on. I tend to keep twitter to help me keep up with the latest news and world events as well as for more formal/professional communication.
3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Wow! I’m not sure I can answer this in full on here but I can summarise by saying I hope to have grown significantly both personally and professionally. I’d like to have achieved all my listed goals and ticked off a lot of the things on my vision boards and bucket-list. I also hope I’ll have learned to be easier on myself. I catch myself overthinking things and being a really harsh self-critic. Hopefully by then I’ll have learned how to chill a bit.
So pretty simply put, I hope to be pretty well put together in 5 years time.
4. Any question for us? We’ll publish our answer as well
When can we meet up for a coffee? I need a hearty tete-a-tete with you mister! 🙂
ASAP :-).
5. What would you do if you were president for a day?
I’d spend most of my day putting Kenyan Healthcare back under the national government and put someone with a level head in charge so we can finally start to fix the madness we have going on currently. I’d then end my day by having a long hot bath in what I imagine is a pretty grand bath at State House Nairobi and then enjoy a relaxed walk around the grounds with my partner.
The evening would be spent hosting a nice dinner and drinks with close friends, prominent personalities and progressive politicians to see if I could leave enough of an impression on them to get me voted in to stay on longer to focus on the health docket so I could really get some significant and sustainable changes going to improve Healthcare for all Kenyans.
6. What’s your favourite book & movie?
Off the top of my head, favourite books: Quiet by Susan Cain, The Italian Matchmaker by Santa Montefiore and The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh.
Not sure I have a favourite movie.
7. Who or what inspired what you do now?
That would have to be my dad, Dr. F.J.K. Muriu. His passion for his work was obvious to me from a very young age and I always worked hard to make him proud. He still remains my ultimate hero.
8. If you were to change jobs, what profession would you get into? Why?
I’d focus my energy on my blog (theycallmedaktari.com) and getting it to its full potential. I have tons of ideas to get it to where I’d like to see it but Medicine is pretty demanding of my time. I need to find a better balance between the two.
Why? I enjoy exploring my creative side and blogging serves as a good outlet for me. I’m pretty sure i’d really come into myself and achieve amazing heights if I put more effort into it. I’m keen to explore its business potential much more aggressively! 🙂
9. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I’ve pretty much got healing in the bag so I’d say teleportation. That way I’d get to really see the world (quick and stress-free) and write about it! What an amazing blog that would be!
10. Which 5 things would you want to have if you were deserted on an abandoned island?
- Sunscreen
- Ice cold drinking water
- The Mister
- A solar powered iPod (& speakers)
- Matches
11. If you were a car, which one would you like to be? Why?
The 5 door, 2.0 litre 4-cylinder petrol automatic 4WD Range Rover Evoque Autobiography. In metallic wine red with Expresso & Ivory Oxford leather interior and wood finishings. Sigh.
Why? What do you mean why? 😉
12. If you could be in any band in the world, which one would it be? Why?
I’d absolutely work with Beyonce.
Why? Again, what do you mean why?!
13a. What are some of the challenges that young doctors in Kenya face?
Doctors are struggling a lot currently as they struggle to manoeuvre a completely broken national healthcare system and all the frustrations and abuse that come with it. There’s just too much for me to even begin to talk about here.
13b. What does Kenya need to do in order to get a world class healthcare system?
A Kenyan public who start paying attention and care enough to vote in a capable leadership and hold their leaders accountable. Leaders who ACTUALLY CARE and are committed to making real changes and putting tax-payer money to good use.It really isn’t rocket-science, I promise.
13c. Being an award winning blogger, what advice do you have for health professionals who are considering getting into blogging?
Go right ahead and get started. Stop making excuses, write from your heart and write about the things you are passionate about. Stay focused and stay committed. The rest falls into place.
14. Share something interesting about yourself with our readers.
“Oh, when she’s angry, she is keen and shrewd!
She was a vixen when she went to school.
And though she be but little, she is fierce.”
Shakespeare