Meet Emelda Foki, Program Manager, Office of International Affairs( continued)
its mission?“ For the upcoming Dominican Republic trip we will provide clinical services in the field, and learning opportunities for faculty, staff, and students. We take them to the area where they help to serve the underserved communities; most specifically in this case, the Haitian migrants that are working in the sugar plantations there. We’ ve designed this program called global health leaders, which is comprised of CDU students. We have the Zambia-based project that is called Rise Up, where we empower young adolescent girls some that are HIV positive and some HIV negative. We help them stay on their medication. And we provide them healthcare services. We give opportunity for CDU global health students to do internships in that project,” she added.
In her judgment, CDU is very active in this world health endeavor.“ Going down there in person physically and seeing the impacts through working, providing technical support, and listening to those young girls tell their stories, listening to their families’ personal testimonies, and seeing the outcomes. For sure. I will say that CDU is doing just fine in that area.
As an active participant in the caregiving process and with a background growing up in an underserved community, Emelda has acquired valuable insights in a short period of time. Recommendations?“ I recommend that we should expand. We’ ve seen that the projects that CDU is working on in Zambia and Malawi are working well. We’ ve seen the stats and we’ ve seen their outcome and we’ ve shared our love. If there is a possibility to do so, to continue to address health disparities and access to health care. The other recommendation is to increase funding for global health initiatives.”
Like many others on campus, she is optimistic that CDU will explore opportunities to secure more funding for this project.“ More specifically, I will say that we will need a grant writer because we have so many ideas that we want to put in place but there is shortage of money. If we could have a grant writer that will help us condense these ideas and put it in a way that is not stuck in our head, but rather is on paper that somebody can see it and want to contribute funding.”
She recommends incorporating additional technology into the various global health initiatives.“ We need to explore ways to incorporate technology such as telemedicine, where if we go out there and create additional partnerships, we have health professionals that can set up telemedicine facilities where the team can make those calls and talk to the patients to provide them with health care services. The team doesn’ t have to be there in person. That will be helpful.
“ I also recommend that CDU put in efforts into setting up mobile health clinics in these areas, if possible. All CDU faculties should look for ways to be involved in this international project. We can do mighty things with several hands-on deck, just like the mighty Lions that we are,” she added.
“ This project in Zambia, Malawi, like I said, is working well. It is good that we don’ t just want to stop there. We want to keep it going. Because when I was there on the ground, and I got feedback from the girls, some of them talked about that testimony. They mentioned how people discourage them to join the project because similar projects have come in the past and then disappeared all of a sudden, and then the girls went back to work, to their normal life to what they were doing. And hearing that, I will say that CDU should continue with the sustainability so that this program doesn’ t collapse.
And with all of these goals, passion and drive, what does the future hold for Emelda Fonki?“ I’ m gonna be a physician,” she stated adamantly. That’ s been my dream. That’ s why I think I’ m living, to be a physician.”
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 21