The Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) convened its second annual East Africa Partners’ meeting in Eldoret, Kenya on June 26-28. With over 50 attendees from Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Duke, the meeting focused on three content areas, cardiovascular disease, climate change and cancer, with a focus on community-based research and community health throughout the sessions. Several members of the Center for Global Reproductive Health (CGRH) were able to attend, Dr. Megan Huchko, Dr. Miriam Nakalembe, Dr. Frankie Odhiambo and Christina Makarushka. The team’s work on community-based cervical cancer prevention and digital health in Kenya and Uganda was highlighted during a panel on East Africa Cancer Research during the second day. They followed this up with a brainstorming session to identify areas of need and ideas for potential future collaboration on research, training and cancer care capacity across the region. During the final day of the multi-country group visited the Cancer Center at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, including their radiation therapy suite and flow cytometry laboratory. Partners came out of the meeting energized, with clear ideas about ways to support each other both within the Cancer space and with collaborators from other content areas.
Dr. Miriam Nakalembe, Associate Professor of Medicine in the OB-GYN department at Makerere University in Uganda and collaborator with CGRH, attended the East Africa Partners’ Meeting for the first time this year. She was excited to explore collaborative opportunities with other organizations in the region. Dr. Miriam was particularly interested to learn about the Global Health University in Rwanda and their operations. She is pleased to come away from the Partners’ meeting with new collaborative prospects, and to have had the opportunity to share technologies, expertise, and good practices such as tumor boards.
Dr. Frankie Odhiambo, physician and public health specialist working with the CGRH team in Kenya, attended the East Africa partners meeting and enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with a colleague from early in her career. Dr. Frankie first met Dr. Jerry Bloomfield in 2003 while completing an internship at Kijabe Hospital in Kiambu, Kenya. “It was amazing that our paths crossed again twenty years later!” said Dr. Frankie. The pair enjoyed the opportunity to catch up and share the journeys their lives have taken since meeting at Kijabe Hospital. They look forward to renewing their partnership through the Duke Global Health Institute. Dr. Frankie appreciated the opportunity that the East Africa Partners’ meeting provided to discover opportunities for cross-border collaborations, learn more about opportunities available through DGHI, and broaden her network of colleagues.
DGHI East Africa Partners’ Meeting attendees
DGHI Partners
DGHI East Africa Partners’ Meeting attendees
Dr. Miriam Nakalembe, Christina Makarushka, and Dr. Megan Huchko
Dr. Frankie Odhiambo with a colleague
Duke Center for Global Reproductive Health Partners,
Dr. Megan Huchko, Dr. Frankie Odhiambo, Dr. Miriam Nakalembe, and Christina Makarushka
Dr. Frankie Odhiambo with colleague Dr. Jerry Bloomfield
Special thanks to Dr. Miriam Nakalembe and Dr. Frankie Odhiambo for sharing their experiences from the DGHI East Africa Partners’ Meeting, and to Castor Rotich and Dr. Frankie Odhiambo for photographs from the event.