On the left is the first sign I saw indicating that I was entering Mbarara district. It was about a five-hour drive from Kampala; filled with beautiful landscapes and a stop at the Uganda equator line ( as shown below).
Over the past 2 weeks, I have been conducting some field work; including screening for traditional healers who are eligible for the parent study. Based on our timeline, once traditional healers (THs) are enrolled, we plan to sample about 15 THs from the parent study population for the purpose of the interviews.
Below are photos capturing some of our activities in the field with the study team.
*All photos were taken and are used in blog with direct consent of the individuals in the photos.*
Pictured: a traditional healer's practice and the project coordinator (Ms. Misha Hooda).
More photos of traditional healers' practices captured as we conducted field work.
As my third week in Mbarara comes to an end, I am looking forward to the next 5 weeks; as we have planned to hold the training for the traditional healers and start conducting the interviews with traditional healers thereafter.
I am thankful to be part of this study team for the summer and for the opportunity to interact with experienced Ugandan professionals who I am continuously learning from each week. Despite the language barrier, as I don't speak Runyakole; this has allowed me to further build cultural competency - a skill essential for anyone engaging in Global Health research.
-------- The study team and I on our way to the field ---------
Overall, I am grateful for this opportunity to engage in HIV research and to be part of such a novel project that is aiming to improve HIV care for people living with HIV; who primarily access health-related services from traditional healers.
-------- The study team and I outside the study office ---------
Comments