Tips for Working Amid Limited Resources
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Dr. Mark Kortepeter, Professor of Epidemiology in the University of Nebraska’s College of Public Health and faculty member in the National Ebola Training and Education Center (NETEC) returned on January 15, 2019 after a 6-week deployment to Burundi in east Africa. Dr. Kortepeter served as the “Lead for Infection Prevention and Control,” for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) efforts to prepare Burundi for possible cross-border spread of Ebola virus from the ongoing outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Dr. Kortepeter’s mission originated due to the WHO’s designation of four countries as priority 1 for preparedness efforts against Ebola: South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
Derived from decades of travel and work across five continents, Dr. Kortepeter offers the following travel tips to keep in mind when working in resource-limited nations:
Be Flexible
- You may not have everything you are used to, so don’t be shy about improvising.
Know & Respect the Chain of Command
- Everyone has a boss – working with whoever makes the decisions improves the chances for impact
Respect the Locals and They Will Respect You
- Be humble. They know more about the “ground truth” and will have to live with the consequences after you leave.
Who Else Needs to Know?
- Information is power, so be sure to keep all partners informed.
Stand Your Ground When You Know You Are Right
- Be respectful, don’t be pushy, and you will be valued for your knowledge and experience.
Expect a Different Pace
- Things may not happen as fast as you are used to. Go with it.
Take Care of Yourself First
- If you are ill or injured, you become part of the problem.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
- Knowing the local language can increase your impact.
Seek Opportunities to Broaden Your Skill Sets
- Embrace the opportunity to learn from others – the new skills will come in handy when you least expect it.
