What started out as a summer full of plans… was ultimately turned upside down. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I—like many of my fellow Gillings MPH students—will be completing my practicum remotely from my home in North Carolina instead of abroad. While I am crestfallen that I am not able to travel as intended, it is safe to say that global health work does not begin and end with plane tickets to worldly destinations. Indeed, global health is “more than just public health somewhere else” . . . it is a collaborative effort that cuts across disciplinary and geographic contexts to achieve shared health goals – an endeavor that feels most salient amid the current health crisis, where global solidarity is critical.
Working under the mentorship of Dr. Nora Rosenberg, and collaborating with colleagues at UNC Project-Malawi and the Tingathe Program, this summer I am supporting several research projects focused on HIV testing, treatment, and prevention in Malawi. My experience thus far has underscored the ways in which global health practitioners must be resilient and adaptable, not only in directly responding to the current crisis, but also in finding innovative ways to continue other vital, ongoing work in global health. Existing health threats like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria are expected to get much worse in the context of COVID-19, turning back the clock on decades of global health progress. Amid such challenges, we must find new and creative ways to problem solve.
Where my practicum work will inevitably be impacted by COVID-19, the scope of my summer projects may change in the coming weeks – responding to the needs of an ever-evolving situation. In addition to being flexible in my work, the current crisis has provided a reminder of how important it is to take care of our physical and mental wellbeing through activities that sustain us . . . as we do our best work when we care for ourselves. In the current moment, what sustains me is regular interactions with my colleagues on Zoom, going on long walks outside, and finding good news to be excited about—like this recent announcement from the Duke Lemur Center on the healthy birth of a critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur!
As we all find ways to adapt to the current situation—which can feel isolating as we work remotely—and while I remain uncertain about what the future holds, I am comforted knowing that I am not in this alone.
Stay safe and be well,
Hanna
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our students are leading the charge on putting into practice our motto, global is local and local is global public health. They will not be traveling abroad this year and will be completing their practicum in the U.S. or their home countries.