Posted on Feb 3, 2023
Who's most likely to save us from the next pandemic? The answer may surprise you
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https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/02/02/ [login to see] /whos-most-likely-to-save-us-from-the-next-pandemic-the-answer-may-surprise-you
"So we're just gonna go in a freezer," says Tulio de Oliveira.
We're at the institute that he directs, the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation at Stellenbosch University near Cape Town, South Africa. And he's taking me to a cold storage room chilled to 20 degrees below freezing.
He calls over his deputy, Yeshnee Naidoo, to lead the way.
"This is the lab queen," jokes de Oliveira. Because she's in charge of lab operations.
"So we're just gonna go in a freezer," says Tulio de Oliveira.
We're at the institute that he directs, the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation at Stellenbosch University near Cape Town, South Africa. And he's taking me to a cold storage room chilled to 20 degrees below freezing.
He calls over his deputy, Yeshnee Naidoo, to lead the way.
"This is the lab queen," jokes de Oliveira. Because she's in charge of lab operations.
Who's most likely to save us from the next pandemic? The answer may surprise you
Posted from npr.org
Medical
Health
Cape Town
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."De Oliveira says those early efforts included developing methods to minimize the number of samples that clinics would need to send in so that South Africa's already strapped health workers could contribute.
And yet, de Oliveira says, the burden those health workers face is something many of his Global North colleagues overlook.
"They come with these great ideas of setting up these really advanced computer systems in the clinic."
De Oliveira's response: First try spending a day at one of our rural clinics.
"Most of them just burst into tears during the process," he says. "And they're like, 'Oh! I didn't realize that that clinic would have like, 500 people in the queue. And like, people almost dying and the doctors didn't have the tools. And that if I put in an advanced computer system that tries to get [hundreds of samples], not only is it going to have no effect, but it will disturb the clinicians who are overworked.' "
And so as the world mobilizes to catch future pandemics, de Oliveira has a request: Let the Global South take the lead.
"Why not take advantage of the knowledge of the Global South?" he says. "If we work together this way, then we can protect the whole globe."
..."De Oliveira says those early efforts included developing methods to minimize the number of samples that clinics would need to send in so that South Africa's already strapped health workers could contribute.
And yet, de Oliveira says, the burden those health workers face is something many of his Global North colleagues overlook.
"They come with these great ideas of setting up these really advanced computer systems in the clinic."
De Oliveira's response: First try spending a day at one of our rural clinics.
"Most of them just burst into tears during the process," he says. "And they're like, 'Oh! I didn't realize that that clinic would have like, 500 people in the queue. And like, people almost dying and the doctors didn't have the tools. And that if I put in an advanced computer system that tries to get [hundreds of samples], not only is it going to have no effect, but it will disturb the clinicians who are overworked.' "
And so as the world mobilizes to catch future pandemics, de Oliveira has a request: Let the Global South take the lead.
"Why not take advantage of the knowledge of the Global South?" he says. "If we work together this way, then we can protect the whole globe."
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