From Dalhousie to Tanzania: An Interview with Queen Elizabeth Scholars Matt Jalink and Keisha Jefferies

April 27, 2016 Maria Wilson 1 Comment

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (QES) aims to build a dynamic community of young global leaders in Canada and across the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth Scholars engage in projects both at home and abroad, encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences. Queen Elizabeth Scholars undertake projects that provide meaningful learning experiences, with the potential to create lasting impact. Dalhousie University has teamed up with its partners in the Caribbean, Uganda and Tanzania to develop an international student mobility project, funded by QES, for current Dalhousie students and students in other Commonwealth countries looking to study at Dal. The Global Health Office manages the relationship between our partner associations and Dalhousie, collaborating with many units across campus, and within the QES network, to make these projects possible.

We recently sat down with two Queen Elizabeth Scholars who are both heading to Tanzania this summer, Matt Jalink (Intern) and Keisha Jefferies (Scholar), to learn about their projects.

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Matt Jalink

Keisha Jefferies

Tell us about yourselves in 30 seconds or less!

Keisha: I’m from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, born and raised. I went to Mount Saint Vincent University to take a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I decided I wanted to go into nursing, so after my Biology degree I came to Dalhousie. I worked for two years in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at the IWK Health Centre. After that, I decided it was time to go back to school and I enrolled in the Master’s of Nursing program here at Dal, and I am currently finishing up my first year. I’m in the health policy practicum as part of that program, so I’m looking to do some work around administration, policies and programming, both at the local and global level. I am interested in maternal and newborn health, which came from my experience working in the NICU. Outside of academics, I love to play basketball and do yoga.

Matt: I’m originally from Calgary, but I moved around a lot when I was younger. I did my undergraduate degree here at Dalhousie in Biochemistry. I had a pretty keen interest in health, but I wanted to get outside of the lab and experience research from a social perspective. This led me to the Master’s of Community Health & Epidemiology program at Dalhousie, which I thought was an excellent fit. I just finished my first year in that program, and I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’ve completed all of my course requirements, so now I’m focusing on my thesis. I’ll be conducting research on pediatric respiratory tract infections. My interest in pediatrics was fueled by my previous experiences working as a camp counsellor and sailing instructor. In my spare time I’m an avid rock climber, and I enjoy playing pool as much as I can.

What projects are you undertaking in Tanzania this summer as QES interns/scholars?

Matt: I will be undertaking an internship with Pastoral Activities and Services for people with AIDS Dar es Salaam Archdiocese (PASADA). I had a meeting with my preceptor recently where we discussed potential projects. There is a project on tuberculosis and HIV co-infection currently underway, with a number of sites around Dar es Salaam participating in data collection. I will be involved with data analysis, and subsequently writing a report on the findings. I will also be drafting a number of proposals for future research studies that will hopefully begin during my stay. These projects will use qualitative research methods, and will be focused on pediatrics. One of the topics we hope to explore is non-compliance to antiretroviral drugs (ARV), and social factors influencing this non-compliance.

Keisha: I will be working at Muhimbili University of Health Sciences (MUHAS), where there is currently a qualitative study underway looking at nurse midwives’ and physicians’ perspectives on post-partum care in the community and hospital, using a feminist post-structural approach. I may be involved in the analysis piece of that project until it is complete. After that, I will be working on a research proposal related to the mother’s perspective of post-partum care in the community and hospital. That’s all I know at the moment, but my projects might change based on need!

What do you hope to accomplish and/or gain through these internships?

Keisha: I’m hoping to gain research experience. Coming from a practice background, I’m mostly involved with bedside nursing at the moment, so I don’t have a lot of experience in any sort of research (analysis, data collection, etc.). I haven’t done a lot of travel in the past, so I’m looking to gain some new perspectives related to different cultures, and ways of practicing nursing and healthcare. The work I will be doing has significant implications for the way we go about delivering maternal care throughout pregnancy, during the postpartum period, and for women in general. Although the work is focused locally in Tanzania, I think the concepts would be transferable here in Canada.

Matt: Similar to Keisha, I don’t have a ton of experience in research. It will be nice to apply a number of the course-based skills I have gained in a workplace scenario. I’ve always had a really keen interest in Global Health, and I’ve been fortunate enough to do some travelling in past, but any chance I have to travel more and apply my health interest to that is ideal. I love trying to pick up new languages and learn about new cultures, so while I’m there I’m going to try to build on the limited Swahili I picked up the last time I was in Tanzania. Despite HIV having a very prominent spotlight, there are some aspects that aren’t as well explored or researched. There is a fair amount of focus on biological mechanisms, and the pathophysiology of the virus, but my research will take a more qualitative approach. We will look at aspects such as how children born with the virus are living and dealing with a debilitative condition.

What did you do to prepare for this experience?

Matt: Through the Global Health Office there were a number of pre-departure training sessions that were very helpful. These sessions covered adapting to a new culture, living and working in a different healthcare system, and much more. I also took a Global Health course this year with Shawna O’Hearn through the MSc. Community Health & Epidemiology program, which proved very beneficial in learning about different healthcare systems – how to think conscientiously about your practices versus practices in different countries. I have been trying to become as fluent as I can in Swahili, so I can be more of an asset. Having been to Tanzania before is helpful in knowing what to expect when I arrive.

Keisha: Said Msabaha and the rest of the Global Health Office have been extremely helpful throughout this whole process. Like Matt mentioned, the pre-departure sessions were very beneficial. There is also a pre-departure workshop series that I just finished today on BBLearn. I’ve met with a fellow student who is doing her PhD at the University of Ottawa, and has been to Tanzania three times. We had a discussion on what to expect, and she gave me some tips and techniques! She has been involved with some of the researchers that I will be working with, and has been to MUHAS. I’ve also met with a few Dalhousie professors who have travelled to Tanzania to learn more about what to expect when I arrive. The Travel Clinic nurse was also very helpful in getting everything set up.

What do you think describes an effective partnership?

Matt: One key part of an effective partnership is communication – making sure everyone is on the same page. Ensuring you are respectful of each other’s ideas and practices, and understanding that the way you do something isn’t necessarily the way other people do the same thing.

Keisha: Definitely communication, and meeting people where they are. It’s not effective to try and impose your own ideas or beliefs on others. Embracing the differences and diversity that’s already there is key.

Why are you interested in Global Health?

Matt: Global Health combines two things I am really interested in: travel and health. Any opportunity you have to experience another culture helps us learn and grow. There are different practices, traditions, and ways to do things. Looking at health through different cultural lenses really interests me.

Keisha: I would like to become a global citizen and take this opportunity to enhance partnerships and relationships, as well as contribute to global maternal and newborn health. I’m really interested in learning what other people are doing, either differently or similarly, to what we do here in Nova Scotia.

Both Keisha and Matt would like to thank the Canadian Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program for funding their internships in Tanzania this summer. We wish them the best of luck with this amazing opportunity to grow and learn. Check back with our blog in September for a post-internship update!

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES) is managed through a unique partnership of Universities Canada, the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF),Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) and Canadian Universities. This program is made possible with financial support from the Government of Canada, provincial governments and the private sector.

International Electives: A Student Perspective

January 18, 2016 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

PASADA, Area 1 (Photo: Braden Kingdon)

The deadline to apply for a 2016 summer Global Health Elective is February 5 at 4pm. These programs allow you to work on an interprofessional team with one of our international partner organizations, and to be mentored by a Dalhousie faculty member. These programs are available to students in Medicine (first & second year), Health Professions and Dentistry. We offer pre-departure training sessions for all students participating in international electives, and students complete in-country orientation. These elective opportunities (observerships) are available for the summer months in Tanzania, Ghana and Thailand.

The Tanzania Summer Program offers hands-on experience to learn about the Tanzanian healthcare system with our partner, Pastoral Activities and Services for People with AIDS Dar es Salaam Archdiocese (PASADA). While at PASADA, you’ll see an innovative community-based model for providing HIV and AIDS services, while working with highly-skilled Tanzanian staff.

Dalhousie student Braden Kingdon was a PASADA intern during the summer of 2015. In order to give you a better idea of what the PASADA internship entails, we asked him a few questions about his experience.

Bongoyo Island, 20 minute Ferry ride from Dar es Salaam (Photo: Braden Kingdon).

1. How did you hear about the PASADA internship?

The program manager at the time contacted me personally through email about the opportunity. I am President of the Recreation Department Society at Dalhousie; she requested that I spread the word through our program. After spreading the word and thinking hard about it, I decided to apply myself as well.

2. What was your role as an intern at PASADA? What projects did you work on?

I was a part of a wide range of projects while at PASADA. I was initially sent out there with the intent of working with children who were living with HIV/AIDS, running health and safety clinics. This all changed upon my arrival in Dar es Salaam. I was working with the children yes, but only on Tuesdays for half of the day. For most of the other days I was working in the Key Populations (KP) Department, we tested and treated people within the marginalized communities of men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), and injection drug users (IDUs). The KP department team would travel out into the communities to meet people at their homes with a mobile clinic. While back from the community, in the office I was mainly doing research. I was helping the medical director at PASADA put his dissertation together for publication in the Tanzanian Journal of Health Research. While helping him, I was also developing a research proposal for PASADA to help gain some funding and further their understanding of the MSM community. This was done through focus groups, personal interviews, and questionnaires. The overarching goal was to keep pushing towards increases in access to healthcare for the MSM community in Tanzania.

3. Was pre-departure training helpful in enriching your experience in Tanzania?

I believe it was helpful in enriching my experience in Tanzania. The material covered in the training was great at outlining safety precautions and travelling tips. The cultural aspect was a brief overview of what I was to expect, but it did not prepare me for the vast difference in way of living. In my opinion, this portion of the experience must be gained from actual exposure to the culture; no book or story will truly prepare you for the greatness that is the Tanzanian culture.

4. What have you learned from your experience in Tanzania? Has this impacted your day to day in Halifax?

My experience in Tanzania has taught me about the importance of living in the moment. Growing up in Canada we are all driven on this straight path towards success, if you fall off it you are often considered a failure. My time in Tanzania opened my mind up to the journey as opposed to just the end goal. If I ever had a bad day, my colleagues would lift me up and make me realize that I can only change what I can control, everything else is not worth worrying about. This has definitely followed me back to Halifax. Without the stress of worrying about uncontrollable factors I am able to focus on the tasks at hand, while enjoying the journey through life.

5. Drawing on your experience partnering with PASADA through the Global Health Office, how would you define a successful partnership?

I would define a successful partnership as one that has continual open communication, trust, and a mutually beneficial outcome. This is definitely something I feel the Global Health Office and PASADA had throughout my internship. I was able to contact anyone from the Global Health Office while in Tanzania, and the team at PASADA was an exceptional group of hosts. From teaching me Kiswahili to taking me to the beach for a sunset, it was a successful partnership inside and outside the walls of the clinic.

6. What advice do you have for Dalhousie students who are interested in the PASADA internship program?

My first piece of advice would be definitely apply because it will be the best summer (or term) of your life! I would also advise them to leave any preconceptions in Canada, it is likely that everyday will be a surprise and different from the last. It is also important to conquer your fears while you are there. Especially if you are in my case and you are by yourself for a while. Leave your comfort zone and go outside, walk around the city, there is so much to do! I found great friends in the American Peace Corp group who is always in Tanzania, and travels through Dar es Salaam regularly. But, do not limit yourself to this group of people. The staff at PASADA is very friendly and love to have fun, go to the movies with them, go to the beach with them, all you have to do is ask.

Local fish and chips on the beach (Photo: Braden Kingdon).

Thank you to Braden for taking time out of his busy schedule to share his PASADA experience with all of us! Braden has also kindly offered to answer any further questions you may have about the internship and his experience via e-mail.

Interested in International Electives? You can find more information on our offerings, as well as apply online, on our website. Remember – the deadline to apply is February 5 at 4pm!

Photos from the Accessing Safe Deliveries in Tanzania (ASDIT) Research Project Launch

December 8, 2015 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

By: Maria Wilson

Global Health Office Outreach Assistant

Monday November 23^rd marked the Halifax launch of the five-year Accessing Safe Deliveries in Tanzania (ASDIT) global health research project. Dalhousie University researchers will collaborate with partners from the Tanzanian Training Centre for International Health (TTCIH) and the Morogoro Regional Hospital in Tanzania to improve access to, and the performance of, emergency maternal care across the country.

The event was held in the newly renovated Tupper Commons. Speakers at the launch included Dean of the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine Dr. David Anderson, Dr. John LeBlanc, who is leading the Dalhousie team and Zabron Abel of the TTCIH. You can read more about the ASDIT project, as well as Zabron’s time in Halifax, in our last blog post. For now, here are a few photographs from the research launch!

Dr. David Anderson giving opening remarks at the ASDIT launch.

Dr. John LeBlanc, Dalhousie ASDIT project lead, explaining the project outline and goals.

Zabron Abel representing the TTCIH, explaining his role within the ASDIT project (pictured with Said Msabaha of the Global Health Office and Dr. John LeBlanc).

Some of the ASDIT project launch attendees listening to Zabron Abel’s speech.

Members of the ASDIT project team (from left to right): Tanya Bilsbury, Marsha Campbell-Yeo, Doug MacMillan, Gail Tomblin Murphy, John LeBlanc, Heather Scott, Findlay Muir, Chris Wirz, Ron George, Zabron Abel, Shawna O’Hearn, Krista Mallory, Suzanne Sheffield and Chad O’Brien.

For more information on global health at Dalhousie University, check out our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Website.

Partnerships in Global Health: The Accessing Safe Deliveries in Tanzania (ASDIT) Project

December 1, 2015 Maria Wilson Leave a Comment

Zabron Abel of the TTCIH pictured on his last morning in Halifax (with snow on the cars).

By: Maria Wilson

Global Health Office Outreach Assistant

Funded by Global Affairs Canada, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Dalhousie University is one of 20 teams of Canadian and African researchers, alongside African decision makers who will join forces to identify, test, and deliver life-saving interventions to secure the future of pregnant women and children.

Dalhousie University researchers are collaborating with partners from the Tanzanian Training Centre for International Health (TTCIH) and the Morgoro Regional Hospital in Tanzania. The 5-year project entitled “Accessing Safe Deliveries in Tanzania (ASDIT)” aims to improve access to, and the performance of, emergency maternal care across the country.

The team of Dalhousie University researchers is led by John LeBlanc and comprised of Doug McMillan, Heather Scott, Ron George, Marsha Campbell Yeo, Gail Tomblin Murphy and Shawna O’Hearn. The project has incredible support from Pat Rodee, Jennifer Morawiecki, and Chris Wirz with International Research and Development and Suzanne Sheffield at the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

TTCIH is a health training institution, established under a public-private partnership between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Novartis Foundation and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. The main goal of the TTCIH is to support the Tanzanian government’s national health reform policy for strengthening human resource development through providing quality health training, facilities and services.

Each month, the Global Health Office blog will be profiling one of our partners. We were fortunate enough to have Zabron Abel from TTCIH join us in Halifax for two weeks. I had the opportunity to have lunch with Zabron last week and asked him a few questions about the ASDIT project and his time in Halifax. I am including some of the information from our discussion, as well as from the launch of the ASDIT project on Monday November 23rd.

Could you briefly describe the history of the TTCIH?

TTCIH is the Tanzanian Training Centre for International Health located about eight hour drive from Dar es Salaam in a town called Ifakara. Established 50 years ago, TTCIH provides quality training programs, facilities and support services for the strengthening of human resource development in Tanzania

What is your role with the TTCIH?

I am the e-Learning and Marketing Manager which involves coordinating marketing, promoting the TTCIH and attracting new partnerships. The e-Learning part of my role includes designing, developing and delivering training using information and communications technology. We use these materials to train health workers in a variety of disciplines.

You have partnered with Dalhousie before. How would you describe your previous experience?

TTCIH has had a long-standing partnership with Dalhousie University since 2005. TTCIH believes that the driving force of success is partnership. There have been a number of successes in this partnership, including training through faculty development, microresearch, and hosting Dalhousie medical, nursing and pharmacy learners as part of their training.

Could you describe the current ASDIT project and your role within the project?

The ASDIT project is focused on maternal and newborn child health. The project aims to evaluate the scale up of a training program for emergency obstetrical and neonatal care in Tanzania. The training upgrades the skills of associate clinicians, midwives and nurses to perform emergency care. The project will explore the barriers and enabling factors to scaling up CEMONC which will assist in policy and planning at the regional and national level. My specific role is to provide post-training support and mentorship by creating e-learning resources for the health care team to use when they return to their rural clinics.

What is your favorite thing about Halifax, and Dalhousie University?

Halifax is a really cool city. The people are humble and there is not as much pressure as you see in bigger cities. As for Dalhousie University, I like the organization, faculty and programs.

Other than seeing snow (the last time Zabron visited was in the month of April so he didn’t get to experience Halifax in the winter), what are you excited for on this trip?

The TTCIH believes in partnerships, and I am excited to be able to explore more areas of partnership, and expand our current partnership with Dalhousie University.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to thank Dr. Pemba (Director of TTCIH) for his vision, and believing that partnerships are instrumental to success. He has been key in the success of both the TTCIH and myself. Dalhousie University should keep thinking of developing countries for open collaboration, partnerships, visibility and benefits for students on both sides.

Thank you to Zabron for having lunch with me (at Pete’s in the SUB – yum), participating in an interview, and for braving the cold to take a brief tour of Dalhousie upper campus.

Safe travels back to Tanzania, and hope to see you again in the future as the partnership between the TTCIH and Dalhousie University grows!

For more information on what we at the Dalhousie Global Health Office do, visit our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Website.

MicroResearch Finds a Home in Ifakara

October 15, 2012 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

Submitted by Shawna O’Hearn, Director the Global Health Office, Dalhousie University

As our team wraps up their two week session in Tanzania we offer the 3rd post in this series – photos as soon as everyone is back in Halifax.

With a packed vehicle, 6 Canadians and Majuto (our fabulous driver), we began our 8 hour journey to Ifakara which took us out of the traffic jams of Dar es Salaam, through many villages as we zoomed along a national park with elephants, zebras and giraffes lining the road, then to a dusty and bumpy road; with the Tanzanian Training Centre for International Health (TTCIH) at the end of the road! To see Dr Pemba and Joyce greeting us at the end of a long journey made us feel at home.

The training program started on Monday with 40 participants from Ifakara and Mwanza. The participants from Mwanza are taking their Masters in Public Health at the Catholic University of Health & Allied Sciences. Students started by learning how to identify a research question, refine it and then explored what methodologies they could consider for their projects. The participants were divided into 6 groups; two from Mwanza and four from Ifakara. Each group had 5 to 7 participants that included a range of professional disciplines and many members had not met or worked with each other. The collaboration started with discussion of the research questions put forward by each member of the group. The research questions were based on their own experience and guided by the lecture: “How to develop a research question”. The group then vigorously discussed the merits of each question and selected one to work on as their team project. A spokesperson for each group presented the list of topics to the entire class and noted the one selected by the group and the rationale for its selection.

Some questions that the groups explored:

Why do women who go to antenatal clinics not return to the hospital for delivery?
Will the use of mobile phones improve antenatal care?
What should be done to increase male involvement in reproductive and child health clinics?
What are the factors associated with late hospital consultation of sick children?

During the second week we focused on writing reports, developing a budget, preparing an abstract and finalizing presentations which happened on Friday. Students debated, discussed, refined and finalized their questions and methodology

Presentations in front of judges to determine the top two groups as well as graduation happened on Friday.

Long Term and Sustainable Partnerships

October 11, 2012 Jennifer LeBlanc 6 Comments

Submitted by Shawna O’Hearn, Director of Global Health Office, Dalhousie University

While Shawna doesn’t have lots of time to send emails we are thankful for this note on our long standing partnership and wanted to share it with you!

There are many objectives to this trip to Tanzania starting with renewal of partnerships and establishing next steps with some of our long term partners. Upon arrival in Dar es salaam, I met with PASADA which is an HIV/AIDS clinic. In future posts we will provide you with links to more information on PASADA (as it’s available).

The meeting with Simon Yohana (Executive Director), Dr Daniel Mazesa (Medical Director) and Leonard Mwakasege (Human Resources Manager) resulted in a renewal of our student summer program as well as an expansion for resident opportunities and the development of a certificate in HIV/AIDS. After 8 years of working with PASADA, Dalhousie’s partnership will expand to support their new priority areas in research as well as medical education. We will keep you posted on the growth of this partnership over the next few months.

If you are interested in getting involved in the work and partnership with PASADA, please contact me at shawna.ohearn@dal.ca

MicroResearch Training in Tanzania

October 9, 2012 Jennifer LeBlanc Leave a Comment

Submitted by Shawna O’Hearn, Director, Global Health Office

While Shawna and our colleagues are in Tanzania we will be posting a series of “Blog posts from the road”. This first one presents Shawna’s initial thoughts upon returning to Tanzania. Photos will be added as soon as we are able to transfer them. Enjoy! more updates to come later this week.

With all great intentions, I had planned to blog each day upon arrival in Tanzania. While a daily journal was put together, the internet has reminded me that there are not always the same amenities when we travel outside our urban contained world.

I have to start with two personal reflections (actually observations) that have been growing over the last week. First, while everyone has a mobile phone in Tanzania (actually many people have more than one phone as they have multiple network providers so people will have a phone for each provider) the difference between Canadian mobile users and Tanzanian mobile users is……Tanzanians aren’t on them 24-7! They walk on the streets with their heads up and look at life, people and where they are walking. You don’t see anyone with their head and fingers buried on an iPhone or Blackberry. A lesson that we need to remember in Canada.

My second reflection relates to my personal life and my December marathon goal. I am in the key weeks of training for a marathon and was worried about being able to run during my time in Tanzania. My worries were not necessary. I have met people of all ages and level of running abilities as I ran in the rain and pollution of the city (Dar) and the dust and uneven roads in Ifakara. There are people who will cycle with me as they return home from their fields, others who will run for a few miles to keep me company and some of my team members joined me on their bikes for my 20 mile run on Saturday morning. I have always loved to run and the last year of injuries has been challenging to be out of my training routine. I must thank the running groups in Dar, the people of Ifakara and my colleagues for their support and encouragement over the last few weeks. You will be with me as I cross the finish line in Sacramento in December! Asanti Sana!

Archives for Tanzania