Category: 2024 Summer Blogs

Striving Towards Malaria Elimination in Zanzibar

Posted on by Adriana Gaona

As the summertime begins to settle in, my mind is already drifting to the tropical shores of Zanzibar, Tanzania. This summer, I am doing my practicum with The UNC Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Lab (IDEEL) joining their ZIM (Zanzibar Imported Malaria) Study. With a goal to contribute to the efforts of malaria elimination on the archipelago, I am eager to dive into the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.

The UNC Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Lab (IDEEL) is focused on improving the understanding of infectious diseases around the world through interdisciplinary research. It is composed of a diverse team of investigators from UNC, Brown University, and Imperial College. Their areas of research include malaria, syphilis, diarrheal diseases, and hepatitis among others. The project I will be working on is the ZIM (Zanzibar Imported Malaria) Study. The project goal is to understand the main drivers of imported malaria cases from mainland Tanzania to Zanzibar. For my practicum, I will be focused on designing and conducting surveys aimed at assessing the knowledge, behaviors, and perceptions/acceptability of proposed malaria interventions among travelers in Zanzibar. This data will inform patterns of transmission, and risk behaviors and pave the way for future pilot intervention programs targeting the reduction of imported malaria cases.

For the past three weeks, I have been working on the design of the surveys by exploring ONA, a mobile data collection tool and survey software. I have been honing my coding skills to tailor traveler surveys specifically designed to gather valuable insights into the dynamics of imported malaria cases. We are still in the development stage as this process requires a lot of testing of the different technological features as well as assessing the feasibility and user-friendliness of the surveys through practice runs. As I am preparing to leave the US for Zanzibar, I look forward to being immersed in the Zanzibari culture and interacting with local public health experts from the Zanzibar Elimination Program and community members. I am also excited to see how the surveys will unfold as this study will provide important data which will be essential to implement a pilot intervention addressing imported malaria cases and striving towards eliminating malaria in Zanzibar.

Rokhaya

Life on the Red Lake Reservation

Posted on by nayavill

Hi Everyone! My name is Tessa Carovich and I am a PharmD/MPH dual degree student. For my summer practicum, I am spending time on the Red Lake Reservation in Northern Minnesota with the Indian Health Service (IHS) doing both public health and pharmacy work. Over my past two weeks here, I have spent time getting to know what the reservation has to offer and getting background on the community that I am serving this summer. The Red Lake Reservation is north of Bemidji and has the tribal government located on it, an IHS Hospital, which the community utilizes for their healthcare and pharmacy needs, and multiple powwow grounds. English is considered a second language on the reservation as many members of the community speak Ojibwe, preserving the tradition and culture of the tribe. A unique part of the Red Lake Reservation compared to the other reservations in the area is that it is “closed,” meaning that few people who are not tribal members live on the reservation. Due to the “closed” status, the tribal government can limit who lives or visits. Because of this, the state courts and government have no jurisdiction on the reservation, and everything is run by the Tribal Council and Federal Courts. Another interesting aspect of the Red Lake Reservation is that it is considered a “dry” reservation meaning no alcohol is allowed to be sold, consumed, or had while on reservation grounds.

Red Lake Indian Reservation sign along the freeway when crossing into reservation land.

Since alcohol is not allowed, it has led to a major drug problem on the reservation. It is known in tribal communities that syphilis and hepatitis c are very common among drug users. To help mitigate the problem, kits are made within the pharmacy at the hospital to be handed out to community members. The kits include needles/syringes, a sharps container, a tourniquet, and condoms. Along with the kits, Narcan is also readily available to be handed out. Community members can come into the pharmacy to pick up the kits and/or Narcan. There is also a walk-up harm reduction clinic set up once a week on the reservation for people to come to. During the summer months, there is a community van that will drive the reservation also providing these same services along with a syringe exchange program. By going out in the van, it allows us to reach the more remote areas on the reservation and provide education to the community members. I am excited to continue immersing myself in the culture here and make a difference among the community.

Tessa