Duke in Kampala: 2008-02-24

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Africa has 24% of the burden of disease in the world, but only 3% of the healthcare workers. This means that even with great advances in science and technology, African countries struggle to provide adequate health care to their populations.

Back in November 2007, the Duke Global Health Institute and the Fuqua School of Business co-sponsored a conference here at Duke with the Global Health Workforce Alliance to discuss the African Healthcare Worker Shortage. Out of that conference came an invitation for Duke to be involved in the First Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, sponsored by the Global Health Workforce Alliance and the World Health Organization (WHO). This conference is being held in Kampala, Uganda on March 2-7, 2008.

As part of Duke's involvement in the conference, the Duke Global Health Institute is sponsoring the attendance at the conference of five students from the School of Medicine and the Fuqua School of Business. This blog is their opportunity to share what they learn.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Amsterdam Sunrise

Thanks to the 240 MPH tailwinds we arrived in foggy Amsterdam in 6 hours. We immediately found Nazaneen, Amelia, Gretchen and Tim who has just arrived from Boston. We've enjoyed the Amsterdam sunrise, and all is well despite being a bit tired. Only 8 more hours flying over the Sahara and we'll be in Entebbe. See you in Africa.-Geelea

On our way

Jeff, Caroline, Geelea and Dennis are absorbing the ambience in the Detroit airport, preparing for the trip ahead. So far so good. It is a brisk 22 degrees here. Looking forward to 82 degrees in Kampala. More from the other side of the Atlantic.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Ready to go!

With four hours to departure, excitement and anticipation is beginning to take over from the exhaustion of preparing for an international voyage while a full time medical student! We've been getting messages over the past 24hours from different constituency groups that will hold sessions at the conference, and seeing other folks' responses and comments is a little glimpse into the interactions that we can expect in a day or two. I've printed out a crash-course in Luganda for the plane ride, but who knows how much time we'll have to try out the local language. More once we're on the ground in Kampala!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

2 days to go

With only 2 days left we are trying to get the Uganda phones to work and remember everything we need to take. The schedule for the meeting has changed a few times - and may change again. Important to take it all in stride. Hopefully we can get some sleep on the plane on the way there. We will send messages from the Equator, assuming the internet connection is working. Sometimes it is easier to text on the phone. Debbie will have our numbers. See you all after the trip. Dennis

Who We Are

Five students, five different views.

The Duke Global Health Institute is sponsoring five Duke students to attend the First Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, sponsored by the Global Health Workforce Alliance and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Here's a quick introduction to who we are and why we decided to travel to Kampala this March:

Lily Chhatwal -- Fuqua School of Business MBA student:
"I truly believe that global health reform can best be achieved by bringing together clinicians, policy makers and business individuals. The first hand exposure at the conference to individuals who work in the African health sector will be a tremendous learning opportunity."

Gretchen Scheidler - Fuqua School of Business MBA student: "Prior to starting at Fuqua, I spent time working in Africa with various non-profit organizations. I came to Duke, in large part, due to the Health Sector Management program at Fuqua. In healthcare and development work, implementation and managerial skills are crucial for well-meaning ideas to come to fruition. I feel incredibly lucky to be involved in this conference."

Timothy Koo - School of Medicine, first year student:
"We will be involved in an exciting research project interviewing healthcare leaders from around the world who have had success in pioneering private sector innovations regarding the healthcare worker shortage. I am interested in this problem because it has yet to be given much attention by the international community. Working on this project allows me to meld my interest in healthcare policy with the knowledge and skills I gained while working as a management consultant before attending medical school."

Nazaneen Homaifar - School of Medicine, first year student:
"As a Duke undergrad, I read declarations and executive summaries produced from international forums. To now be part of the process and see how different factors and politics play out in such a setting takes this edification to a whole new level."

Amelia Walling Maiga - School of Medicine, first year student: "Before coming to duke for medical school, I spent three years in Mali, working first as a health education Peace Corps volunteer. This conference affords us an incredible opportunity to learn about the healthcare worker shortage through hands-on research and exchange, and to do so in a country that is itself in the midst of a real health care worker shortage crisis - a dynamic that cannot be replicated here in Durham.

The following Duke faculty and staff will also be attending the conference:
Mike Merson
(Duke Global Health Institute)
Jeff Moe
(Fuqua)
Dennis Clements
(Duke Global Health Institute)
Geelea Seaford
(Duke Global Health Institute)

Duke in Kampala