Does health system reform in the US also require reform outside of health care?
Nearly two years ago, I attended a forum about the United States’ health reform at the University of Tokyo. Among the participants were American public health officials, professors and medical students. We were discussing the reasons why the United States’ health system is much more expensive than in other countries. For instance, among all OECD […]
Lessons in “direct service”
I woke up the other day and realized that I am halfway through my fellowship, and I couldn’t help but be amazed. Time really does fly when you’re having fun! Yes, I said the “F” word – fun – so rarely associated with work! Even though I have had some experience in working as a […]
Snowy Times
Leading up to the middle of January it seemed like everyone, myself included, was talking about how mild the winter was. And for the most part, it had been. But that changed drastically with the onset of three consecutive massive snowstorms that dumped 80 inches of snow on Boston. There’s something about waking up and […]
Stopping the Measles Outbreak
In January 2015, when news about Ebola in West Africa had largely declined in the US popular press, reports of another infectious disease outbreak started making headlines. “Measles hits Disneyland: 9 Cases Linked to Theme Park ” read the popular online magazine, Live Science on January 7, 2015. Since then, the disease has spread to […]
My Global Health Corps Experience
When I came across the Global Health Corps website, I was excited that an organization that I shared similar values and passions with existed. Immediately I knew I wanted to be a part of this great community. And I embarked on the journey that I have been on for the past six months. My GHC […]
Constructing narratives: What brought you to the fight?
“Es chocante,” it’s shocking, said Dr. Acosta, a pediatrician working at San Benito Youth Clinic in Petén, Guatemala. In particular, Dr. Acosta is speaking of her work with teenage mothers. As she states, these young girls find themselves in circumstances in which they must assume the role of caregiver and wife. Detailed in a recent […]
The U.S. Global Health Policy Agenda: Where Are We Headed?
For more than a century, the United States has supported health initiatives oversees as an element of its foreign aid and international development assistance portfolio. It also remains the largest funder and implementer of global health programs worldwide.[1] America’s long track record of foreign aid provisions (PEPFAR, the Global Fund) highlights the country’s leadership in […]
“Chasing Mosquitoes”: The Importance of Entomological Surveillance in the Fight Against Malaria
As a Malaria Control Program Officer and a Global Health Corps Fellow at PATH in Zambia, I conduct entomological surveillance of mosquito species. This has earned me the nicknames “Mosquito Chaser,” “Mosquito Hunter” and (the most hilarious) “Mosquito Whisperer” from my co-fellow Lis. But what exactly is entomology? Hence, what is entomological surveillance? What data […]
Gender Based Violence & Sports: A Critical Examination
One of the most important lessons I have learned in the first half of my fellowship year is to own your personal narrative. A big part of defining your personal narrative revolves around identifying those things that excite you and that you are passionate about. For me that passion is soccer—or more appropriately football/futbol! It […]
Zambian Chief Tells of How His Chiefdom Attained ODF Status in a Single year
Chief Mukobela is one of the first chiefs to attain open defecation free status (ODF) for his chiefdom in Zambia. Having attained ODF status in 2013 after the community led total sanitation program (CLTS) was introduced in 2012, His Royal Highness has gone further and has begun working on a sustainable approach to maintain adequate […]