Emmanuel Amey Ojara
Encyclopedia
Dr. Emmanuel Amey Ojara (February 10, 1944 – July 26, 1987) was a surgeon
and oncologist
. He was an ethnic Acholi. He was born in a village called Laibi in Gulu
district, Uganda
to Mr. Simeon Oyoo and Mrs. Yudia Akidi. He started off his education at Gulu Junior School. In 1960 he joined Sir Baker High School in Gulu for his higher education where he finished his form 6 in 1965. After high school education he was accepted to Makerere University
in 1966 to do Bachelor of Medicine. In 1968 while doing his third year he married Agnes Waithera who was a Bachelor of Education
student at the same university. He finished his degree course in 1971 and went ahead to do his internship at Mulago hospital
, Kampala
between 1971 and 1972. Between 1972 and 1973 he worked at Butabika Hospital
which was situated on the outskirts of Kampala. Dr. Ojara was accepted to the Makerere Medical School as an assistant lecturer in 1973 and at the same time he pursued his Masters
in Medicine. In 1976 he was awarded his Masters. Being and Acholi and a member of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party and fearing for his life he was forced to flee Uganda
in 1977 during the height of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
's rule and ended up in Kenya
where he join The University of Nairobi
Medical School as a lecturer
in the same year. He also continued his surgeon practice at Kenyatta National Hospital
. Dr. E.A. Ojara was known for his research in intestinal cancer which won him awards. Dr. Ojara died at the Nairobi Hospital
after a series of organ
failures ending in cardiac arrest
. He was a senior lecturer
at the University of Nairobi Medical School at the time. Dr. Ojara had four children, three boys and a girl.
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
and oncologist
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
. He was an ethnic Acholi. He was born in a village called Laibi in Gulu
Gulu
Gulu is a city in Northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'48N 32˚18'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately , by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
district, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
to Mr. Simeon Oyoo and Mrs. Yudia Akidi. He started off his education at Gulu Junior School. In 1960 he joined Sir Baker High School in Gulu for his higher education where he finished his form 6 in 1965. After high school education he was accepted to Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
in 1966 to do Bachelor of Medicine. In 1968 while doing his third year he married Agnes Waithera who was a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
student at the same university. He finished his degree course in 1971 and went ahead to do his internship at Mulago hospital
Mulago Hospital
Mulago National Referral Hospital, commonly known as Mulago Hospital, is the largest hospital in Uganda. The hospital is located on Mulago Hill in the northern part of the city of Kampala. It is the teaching hospital for Makerere University College of Health Sciences, the oldest medical College in...
, Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
between 1971 and 1972. Between 1972 and 1973 he worked at Butabika Hospital
Butabika Hospital
Butabika National Referral Hospital, commonly known as Butabika Hospital is a hospital in Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. It is the mental health national referral hospital for the entire country's estimated population of 32 million in 2010....
which was situated on the outskirts of Kampala. Dr. Ojara was accepted to the Makerere Medical School as an assistant lecturer in 1973 and at the same time he pursued his Masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Medicine. In 1976 he was awarded his Masters. Being and Acholi and a member of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party and fearing for his life he was forced to flee Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
in 1977 during the height of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
's rule and ended up in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
where he join The University of Nairobi
University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...
Medical School as a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in the same year. He also continued his surgeon practice at Kenyatta National Hospital
Kenyatta National Hospital
Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi is the oldest hospital in Kenya. Founded in 1901 with a bed capacity of 40 as the Native Civil hospital, it was renamed the King George VI in 1952. At that time the settler community were served by the nearby European Hospital...
. Dr. E.A. Ojara was known for his research in intestinal cancer which won him awards. Dr. Ojara died at the Nairobi Hospital
Nairobi Hospital
The Nairobi Hospital is a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. It was built as a European Hospital, as Kenya was then a British colony. It was later renamed The Nairobi Hospital. In the 1990's, there were two cases of the highly dangerous Biosafety Level 4 pathogen Marburg, one a patient and one a doctor,...
after a series of organ
Organ (anatomy)
In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in structural unit to serve a common function. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues . The main tissue is the one that is unique for the specific organ. For example, main tissue in the heart is the myocardium, while sporadic are...
failures ending in cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
. He was a senior lecturer
Senior lecturer
Senior lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a faculty position at a university or similar institution. Especially in research-intensive universities, lecturers lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
at the University of Nairobi Medical School at the time. Dr. Ojara had four children, three boys and a girl.