Outside the biomedical box of integrated care research. Meet some of our new RESPOND-AFRICA staff
The RESPOND-AFRICA consortium is made up of a range of diverse professionals from Europe and Africa. They are working on several different projects all aimed at improving health outcomes for people living with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and HIV in Africa. They are experts in unique activities that range from infectious disease care, non-communicable diseases care, project management, implementation, social science, or health economics. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be involved in a large global health program including multi-country randomised control trials? We have interviewed some of our new RESPOND-AFRICA members who are both on the ground and behind the scenes to give you an idea. Follow along in our series documenting some of our RESPOND-AFRICA consortium members!
Interviewee name: Fredrick Amani
Role in RESPOND-AFRICA: Database Developer
Projects involved within RESPOND-AFRICA: MOCCA,INTE-AFRICA, META2, META3, MAPITIO
Where they are based: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Past role/job: System Developer
Who are you?
I am a database developer and data manager from Tanzania working at the National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR-Muhimbili). Am very interested in developing automated systems to solve different challenges.
How has your journey helped you lead to this point in your career?
I have a background in Computer science with the main focus on computer programming and system development. Working in research has been quite an interesting career because I get an opportunity to strengthen the public health sector by helping policymakers make data-driven decisions.
How did you initially get involved in research?
I first get involved in research when I joined the MOCCA study back in 2018 when I join NIMR Muhimbili Research Center
How has the field of integrated care, especially in sub–Saharan Africa, been changing?
I think Integrated care in sub-Saharan Africa is still in its early stages and research studies such as MOCCA and INTE-AFRICA have been helping in providing insight on how to accomplish it and developing models that will be used to implement this on a full scale.
Mental health is neglected and it’s not seen as a problem that can be clinical diagnose and treated
What areas of HIV and NCD research and/or project management do you think are being neglected?
I think mental health is neglected and it’s not seen as a problem that can be clinical diagnose and treated.
What do you hope to do in your role and as a member of the RESPOND-AFRICA consortium?
Strengthening of the data management unit by developing new and updating/upgrading the existing database system to ensure smooth data collection, and minimize errors so as be able to produce clean datasets in real-time. Not only that but also to take advantage of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and incorporate them into our database system.
Besides research and randomised control trials, what do you enjoy doing?
Spending time with family and friends and when am alone probably watching nature, scientific documentaries, and learning new things.