Rice’s CPAP study is really incredible, all the way from the technology’s elegant and simple design to the people on the ground working and using the device every day. From ensuring that the device is used properly, that the data is recorded consistently, and that (long term) the technology can be effectively maintained and repaired, so many little pieces need to come together to facilitate the CPAPs ultimate roll out and adoption in the region.  And when you think about it, it’s really quite a beautiful but extremely daunting thing!

So, I’m super lucky and thankful to be working alongside so many different people here in Malawi, learning about just how much it takes to make this project run and succeed. I mean, just looking at what the BTB interns have been up to specifically, has really highlighted for me the importance of a whole “team” working together to successfully carry out any kind of global health project!

Carissa and Aakash have been travelling with the Shannon and Caroline this week to work on CPAP data collection and have really gained a better understanding of the challenges and limitations to adopting the CPAP device in the district hospitals. Emily has been at Queens being involved in developing educational materials for mothers, nurses, etc. and lots of data analysis, and she and I even had a meeting today with a physician to get a better understanding of the equipment supply chain at Queens.

Caleb and I are a little more removed from the CPAP project as we are primarily working with the Poly and PAM. But, with the biomed repair workshop we’ll be teaching starting tomorrow (ahhh!!), our repair manuals, and the potential for a new partnership between PAM and the Poly, hopefully we can come up with some creative ways can help the local capacity address all the local medical equipment repair and maintenance needs (including CPAP!).

Basically each of us operates within out own sphere of responsibilities, which when all put together contributes to the larger task at hand. And it kind of works that way at home too! When we cook dinner together every night, each of us takes care of one little slice of the work, be that cutting the vegetables, cooking the rice, setting the table, tag teaming the dishing washing at the end or whatever! I am optimistic that if we each keep working hard within our own tasks and keeping learning from one another (both at work and at home) we’re going to be able to accomplish some really neat things by the end of our time here.

I am excited and motivated to tackle the work we have ahead of us, and seriously can’t imagine a cooler group of people to be working alongside.

#strengthinnumbers

Dinnertime with the BTB family!