I arrived in Lusaka, Zambia about three weeks ago, after a grueling 26 hours of travel, and jumped right into my internship with the UNC Improving Pregnancy with Progesterone (IPOP) Study. I spent my first week in the UNC Global Projects office familiarizing myself with the study and the issue of preterm birth in Zambia and getting settled into my new accommodation and neighborhood. I am now working mostly in the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to finish collecting and cleaning the data that will be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using progesterone during pregnancy as a way to prevent preterm birth among high-risk women.
It took me about a week to feel confident navigating the halls of UTH in Lusaka. A large hospital that also receives many transfer patients from other clinics, especially in the maternity ward where I am working. I recovered from my first day where I found myself locked in a bathroom for overthirty minutes before the door had to be broken in.This brought alot of laughter to the crowd of staff and patients that had gathered around the door to see if I would get outand is now one of my top embarrassing moments.Most of my time is spent in the NICU right now, observing preterm babies and recording allthe actions themedical staffperformto care for the infants,and the length of time spenton the care. There is a long list of activities we are following, including performing physical exams and setting up IVs to resuscitating babies and delivering oxygen. There are anumber of preterm babies in Zambia that never leave the hospital, these days are by far the most difficult.
The infants are regularly moved around and are difficult to keep track of and doctors and nurses are constantly in motion asI trail them with my notebook and timer. They work quickly and efficiently,movingvery much in sync. I am usually in awe with how effortlessly they move around each other, and me, in the often-crowded rooms. All of the staff are incredibly nice and accommodating andnever forget to start each day by saying “good morning” to everyoneandtheyare always willing to answer my many questions about the activities they are performing.It has been a great opportunity to not only learn more about the issue of preterm birth in Zambia but also about the local healthcare system more broadly.
Outside of work there is plenty to do in Lusaka and around Zambia; so much that it would be impossible to see everything in the short ten weeks I am here. The winter weather here is very ideal and is a welcomed break from the North Carolina summer heat. Multiple national parks and animal nurseries are home to much of Zambia’s diverse wildlife, which the country is making a great effort to preserve. These are great day trips from Lusaka. I will soon be traveling to Livingston for a weekend to see Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world and a sight I hear is nothing short of amazing. In Lusaka, there are many restaurants and cafes serving food from all over the world. Local cuisine is heavily centered around nshima, a pounded white maize which is scooped up and rolled into a ball with your hands and eaten with different meats, beans and vegetables.
I have learned so much in the few short weeks I have been in Lusaka. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and have quickly made me feel at home. I look forward to continuing to learn and collaborate throughout my internship and to see what life in Lusaka has in store for the next couple of months.
-Taylor