I wanted to study for a masters degree as I would like to be a leader in infectious disease control. I’ve worked towards this goal early on by initiating a partnership between my undergraduate medical society and the WHO Stop-TB partnership, and through tuberculosis (TB) advocacy campaigns. During my National Service year in a community health centre, I observed that most children who had an overlap of malaria/pneumonia symptoms were mismanaged with only antimalarials at home before presentation. I initiated studies to evaluate this overlap and the outcome of treating these children based on a malaria rapid diagnostic test result. The project resulted in journal articles and two international awards. During my residency, I have been able to apply my previous research experience to conduct studies on outcomes research on tuberculosis treatment and control programmes, TB/HIV, HIV/AIDS treatment, viral haemorrhagic fevers, and malaria. A Masters Degree programme will broaden my horizon, improve my analytical skills and improve my knowledge of these infectious diseases and their control.

The MSc Public Health modules of the LSHTM offer a great opportunity to supplement my preexisting knowledge especially on analytic models for decision making, qualitative research, and economic evaluations applied to TB, HIV and tropical diseases. Also, through skills in modelled analyses which I hope to obtain from the programme, I hope to provide evidence-base to guide priorities for control of infectious diseases in Africa by providing how morbidity and mortality can be averted through different implementation policies, and at what costs

In the future, I intend to quickly follow this master’s programme with a PhD in infectious disease/global health in order to adequately prepare as an investigator. In terms of a career, I see myself combining clinical care with global health research applied to infectious disease control. I hope to improve infectious diseases control in Africa by conducting laboratory/clinical trials and implementation projects related to diseases like; TB, Pneumonia, viral haemorhagic fevers, e.t.c. My research will provide the evidence to articulate a realistic, science-driven infectious disease control policy in Africa while considering social and local context issues.  .

I would like to thank The ALN scholarship team for graciously granting me this opportunity of studying Public Health with a world class university. I see this Masters Degree as an end in itself as well as a professional stepping stone in the life of a budding physician-scientist. I am very grateful for the full funding provided by the ALN scholarship award.