UKZN Staff Graduates with Master of Medicine Degree

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Dr Adeyemi Benjamin Olamide of the College of Health Science has graduated with a Masters of Medicine in Family Medicine.

Olamide’s thesis, titled: “Acute Mortality Outcome and Profile of Patients Diagnosed with Cryptococcus Meningitis in a District Hospital in Pietermaritzburg,” aimed to improve the management of patients admitted with cryptococcal meningitis by identifying gaps in routine care and making recommendations based on these findings.

‘Cryptococcal meningitis is a life threatening condition usually seen in patients with advanced HIV,’ he said.

The study also examined the burden of the illness in terms of the demography of the patients and deaths resulting from it.

Olamide said similar studies had been done in South Africa and other parts of the world. What was worrying was that deaths from cryptococcal meningitis remained high despite availability of excellent guidelines and the recent expansion of access to antiretroviral therapy for patients living with HIV in South Africa.

He said his results were presented to relevant stakeholders and an action plan had been developed to address the critical gaps identified.

His results were also published in two journals: the South African Family Practice Journal and the African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine. An abstract from the study was also presented at the International Congress on HIV Infection in Glasgow, Scotland.

After completing his studies, Olamide worked briefly as the Clinical Manager for ARV Services at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. He recently joined UKZN’s Department of Family Medicine as a lecturer/specialist.

‘I believe this position offers me the opportunity to develop my career and also contribute meaningfully to the Department’s goal of expanding the reach and impact of Family Medicine,’ he said.

Olamide loves travelling and listening to good music, especially ‘smooth jazz’. ‘The prayers and tremendous support from my wife really helped me cope with the challenges of completing a postgraduate degree. I will again rely on such special support when I pursue with my PhD.’

Nombuso Dlamini