Dealing with dead bodies on a daily basis is not a job for the faint hearted. But for South Rift government pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu, it is a job like any other.

The father of two who has been a pathologist for 13 years says he wanted to be a pilot growing up, but ended up pursuing medicine and specialized in pathology.

After high school, Dr Ngulungu ended up qualifying for a bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery, which he studied at the University of Nairobi in the year 1994-2000.

In the period 2000-2004, Dr Ngulungu was a General Doctor at Nyeri Provincial Hospital. He later embarked to proceed with his studies in 2004-2009 in Post graduate for Pathology at the same university.

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“In 2004-2007 I was also studying in South Africa as a Forensic Pathologist, where mostly practicals were done,” Dr Ngulungu recalls.

Dr Ngulungu graduated in South Africa in 2007 and also in 2009 from University of Nairobi.

A year later in 2010, he secured a job as a pathologist at Nakuru Level five Hospital (PGH), where he has been working to date.

“My first experience with dead bodies was in the anatomy class years back when I was a medical student,” Dr Ngulungu narrates.

Before then, the only dead body he had seen was that of his brother who passed on when Ngulungu was five years old.

Titus Ngulungu studies up to 50 specimen a day as a pathologist.

Photo credit: WINNIE KIMANI/MTAA WANGU

His day starts early as he is required to be at the morgue between 8am and 9am.

“I then go to the lab to trim the specimen given for processing. In a day, I work on a maximum of 50 specimens.”

He then forwards a report to the doctor who asked for the examination to be done.

Dr Ngulungu additionally notes that on days he is needed by the police to do a post mortem, then he will heed to that call. Other days, he goes to court as an expert witness.

He highlights that going back home depends on the workload he has in a day, as he can work as late as 1am.
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“The only challenge I experience is having a busy schedule, but with time I took up the challenges as part of the work. All in all I love my job.”

Dr Ngulungu notes that he is the only pathologist in the family, adding that he is not bothered by what people think of him or his job.

Asked if he experiences any mental anguish from his job, he says, “I actually don’t experience nightmares or have any traumatic experiences. Dealing with a dead body is normal to me.”

With a smile on his face he concludes by saying “and yes, I do eat meat.”
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My office is the Nakuru PGH morgue

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