This archive report was first published on 28 December 2019.
December 28, 2019, marked a significant milestone in the life of Patrick Kibe, a man whose journey from a cleaner to a surgeon is a true inspiration to many.
It all began in 1990 when Kibe, then a young man with a dream to become a pastor, packed his bags and headed to Kijabe to join a Bible school. However, fate had other plans, and he was forced to take up a cleaning job at Kijabe Hospital to make ends meet.
Little did Kibe know that his role in cleaning the Wairegi and Salome wards would one day lead to him treating patients in those same wards. His diligence and hard work caught the attention of the hospital's management, and he was promoted to storekeeper just six months after becoming a cleaner.
As a storekeeper, Kibe's responsibility was to safeguard medicines and other equipment for the hospital. It was during this time that he demonstrated his exceptional organizational skills, meticulously arranging new equipment and presenting a report that matched the one from the international sponsor.
Doctors at the hospital took notice of Kibe's passion and urged him to join the Kijabe School of Nursing in 1993 to pursue his Kenya Registered Community Health Nurse education. Upon completion of his studies, the hospital sent him to Kajiado, where he single-handedly ran a dispensary, marking the beginning of a promising career.
Undeterred by his humble beginnings, Kibe continued to pursue his dreams, eventually graduating with a specialization in eye surgery from the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Clinic. He returned to Kijabe Hospital and started an optical department, pairing it with the diabetes section.
Today, Kibe performs eye procedures and treats diabetic conditions at the very hospital where he once worked as a cleaner. His story is a testament to the power of resilience, hard work, and passion, and a reminder that nothing is impossible with determination and dedication.
