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Master of Science in Global Health

Global Health Advisory Board Member Priscilla Reddy: Educator Change-Maker, Dreamer

“I wasn’t sure it was going to work,” says Priscilla Reddy matter-of-factly about the Master of Science in Global Health program’s beginnings in 2010. “It was a lofty goal to think we could successfully bring together health sciences, business sciences, and social sciences under one umbrella – but I’m a dreamer, so I jumped in with both feet – and it’s been so heartwarming to see the program go from strength to strength.”

Continued on Page 3Priscilla Reddy

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Message from the Directors

As we celebrate another successful year of the Master of Science in Global Health program, we showcase the individuals, experiences, and partnerships that have been instrumental to that success.

In this newsletter, we feature advisory board member Priscilla Reddy, whose dedication to issues including maternal and child health, violence against women, tobacco control, and youth risk behaviours has earned her a reputation as a leading figure in global health, and a driving force for change in South Africa and beyond.

This issue also includes student exchange experiences, in their own words, and highlights the most recent Chanchlani Global Health Award recipient, Dr. John Ioannidis.

We hope you enjoy reading our latest newsletter.

In this Issue

Global Health Advisory Board

Message from the Chair

As Chair of the Global Health Advisory Board, I feel fortunate to be working alongside such a talented group of leaders in the global health field, who have come together to help prepare the next generation of professionals to be responsible, active global citizens.

My fellow board member, Priscilla Reddy, is an inspiring example of tenacity, resilience, and global health change-making in action. I invite you to read her story, along with other stories about the program’s many successes.

The Global Health faculty has always been exceptional. On that note, I would like to congratulate the program’s co-director Anja Krumeich on her appointment as Full Professor

of Translational Ethnographies in Global Health and Education, a chair position that will be embedded within the Department of Health, Ethics and Society at Maastricht University. She and her counterpart, McMaster’s program director Andrea Baumann, have worked tirelessly over the last seven years to develop and strengthen this program, and have been instrumental in its success.

Each year, I have been truly inspired by the achievements of our students and alumni. And each year, as our global health community grows stronger, I have felt an increasing sense of optimism about the future of global health and the positive changes we can make in the world.

1 Global Health Advisory Board Member Priscilla Reddy: Educator Change-Maker, Dreamer

2 Message from the Directors

2 Message from the Chair

3 Global Health Advisory Board Member Priscilla Reddy: Educator Change-Maker, Dreamer

4 Bridging Different Worlds: Manipal 2017

6 Chanchlani Award Recognizes One of the Most Influential Scientists Alive

7 Mac Gets a Royal Visit as International Symposium Puts the Spotlight on Antimicrobial Resistance

8 Meet the Faculty

9 Exchange Perspectives

10 Alumni Stories

HONORARY CHAIR: Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands

CHAIR: Elizabeth Witmer, Chair, Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and former Minister of Health in Ontario

MEMBERS: Dr. Abbas Gullet, Secretary General, Kenya Red Cross Society, KenyaMs. Mary Heersink, Co-founder, Safe Tables Our Priority, United StatesDr. Priscilla Reddy, Acting Executive Director, Population Health, Health Systems and Innovation (PHHSI), Human Sciences Research Council, South AfricaDr. Thijs A. Teeling, Vice-President, International Project Development, Global Projects, Dräger Medical A.G., the NetherlandsDr. Luis Barreto, President, Luis Barreto & Associates, CanadaDr. K. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), IndiaMr. Jeff Mainland, Executive Vice-President, SickKids, Canada

AD HOC MEMBERS: Dr. Andrea Baumann, Director, MSc Global Health Program, McMaster University Dr. Anja Krumeich, Director, MSc Global Health Program, Maastricht University

Elizabeth Witmer, Chair, Global Health Advisory Board

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Reddy has served on the internat ional advisory board of the program since its inception, and sees her involvement as an extension of her passion for building research strength to address local challenges with global impact.

For more than two decades, Reddy has played a critical role in developing public health research capacity in South Africa. She is known internationally for her contributions to behavioural science in the fight against HIV/AIDS. And her dedication to tackling adolescent health issues, from tobacco use to suicide and mental health, has been unwavering.

Born in a tin house in a small village in South Africa, Reddy grew up in segregation and quickly became aware of issues that continue to represent the greatest challenges in promoting public health in South Africa: racism, sexism, poverty, and the inadequate and maldistribution of resources. She also learned to value education. “Where I came from, the only way out was education,” she explains.

With this ethos in mind, Reddy attained a BSc degree in nursing from the University of Cape Town, pointing out that, as a non-white person, she needed a permit to attend. During her studies, she spent time working with school children – an experience that opened her eyes to mental health issues and inspired her to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH). However, with Apartheid at its peak, the MPH was an option only offered to students with medical degrees. Reddy was determined to not let this deter her. Armed with a Fulbright Scholarship, she went to study in the United States, at the University of Massachusetts.

“It was wonderful to be in an environment where black wasn’t inferior,” she recalls. Beyond that, studying in the US helped her to view public health through a different lens, with a focus on “issues rather than aid” in terms of disease. “South Africa has always been very medically-driven,” explains Reddy, “but I was interested in exploring the behaviours and social determinants of health

– the underlying causes of health catastrophes like HIV and AIDS – and I realized for the first time that I could pursue this idea of social justice which had been driving me.”

According to Reddy, the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion – the First International Conference on Health Promotion, which took place in 1986 – was a game changer. “This was the dream,” says Reddy emphatically. “It was a call to action to achieve health for all, by prioritizing the fundamental prerequisites for health: peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice and equity.”

Reddy saw an opportuni ty to jo in th is movement toward health promotion, and it inspired her to form the Health Promotion Research and Development Unit of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC). From its inception in 1995 until its closure in 2013 as a result of a change in MRC leadership, the vibrant and successful research unit raised millions of dollars in grants and trained 15 doctoral graduates

– mainly black and female South Africans – through Maastricht University.

In addition to managing the unit, Reddy has held numerous professional appointments, including a role as principal investigator for the South African Youth Risk Behaviour survey, which she initiated and conducted three times – in 2002, 2008 and 2011. She also led the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, and while she views the decline in tobacco

smoking as a success story, she is quick to point out that there is much work to be done.

Most recently, Reddy has focused her efforts on maternal and child health, and gender based violence, including femicide and rape, that is unfortunately a serious problem in South Africa. “Violence against women is an ongoing epidemic – and it’s not new,” says Reddy, who is currently starting a research initiative to take action against this growing problem. Currently, she leads a British MRC/Wellcome Trust funded research project delivering health education messages to teenagers via mobile phone.

When it comes to solving global challenges like the ones Reddy has dedicated her career to tackling, she stresses the importance of international collaboration and, beyond that, understanding. “To be global citizens, we need to have indigenous knowledge. We need to be able to understand each other and work together to create a social ly cohesive globe,” she says, referencing th e c o l l a b o ra t i v e MSc G loba l Hea l th program as a “transdisciplinary response to emerging challenges that encourages global change-makers to work and act in an integrative way.”

Reddy’s connection to the Board is particularly personal, given that she attained a PhD from Maastricht University, and has maintained strong t ies with the universi ty, having graduated several PhD students from there. It comes as no surprise that, when asked what achievement she is most proud of, Reddy does not hesitate: “Training doctoral level candidates is a calling,” she says. “And capacity building is my absolute passion. I’m honoured to have been able to influence these students, who are now well trained, well educated, caring young people creating positive change all over the world.”

As a member of the board of the MSc Global Health program, which has grown to involve active participation from several institutions across multiple continents, Reddy looks forward to seeing more global citizens enter the workforce, “hungry, motivated, and prepared to make a difference.”

Global Health Advisory Board Member Priscilla Reddy: Educator Change-Maker, Dreamer

Continued from front page

“To be global citizens, we need to have indigenous knowledge. We need to be able to understand each other and work together to create a socially cohesive globe.”

Priscilla Reddy

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Bridging Different Worlds: Manipal 2017

This year’s Global Health Symposium brought together 254 students from McMaster, Maastricht, and Manipal universities to meet their international peers, navigate complex group dynamics, participate in field visits, and deliver presentations to global health experts.

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“In Manipal, I’d wake up and head to campus ready for amazing chances to grow, learn and be challenged in a way that’s not typical of back home,” says McMaster student Ivan Meiszinger, reflecting on the intense two-week symposium, an experience designed to prepare students for their future careers.

The field orientation component offers students valuable insight into several segments of the Indian health care system—such as mental health, reproductive and child health, and occupational health—and exposes them to organizations and stakeholders and their various roles at a local level. At the same time, it encourages cross-cultural collaboration as students from diverse backgrounds come together to work in

teams, leveraging strengths while recognizing and respecting differences.

McMaster student Rachel McDougall, whose field orientation group focused on infectious

disease surveillance, had the opportunity to speak with different stakeholders involved in medical care, public health and disease reporting. “While it was difficult to come up with questions in the preparation sessions in a theoretical setting, it was completely different when we were actually talking with these experts,” she explains, noting the importance of hands-on experience. “It was easy to have open discussions and our curiosity naturally gave way to many questions,” she says.

Maastricht student Lara Paulus said: “The symposium offered a window into life in a developing country. My vision for global health has expanded, leaving me contemplating exciting possibilities to improve health worldwide.”

Following the symposium, students moved on to their field placements or continued with their thesis research having gained valuable practical experience and new cultural perspectives.

Bridging Different Worlds: Manipal 2017

“My vision for global health has expanded, leaving me contemplating exciting possibilities to improve health worldwide.”

Lara Paulus

Bridging Different Worlds: Manipal 2017 - Continued

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Chanchlani Award Recognizes One of the Most Influential Scientists Alive

It was standing room only at this year’s Chanchlani Global Health Research Award & Lecture on February 6, 2017, as Stanford University professor Dr. John Ioannidis received the award and delivered his talk, “Improving Research Practices: A Global Challenge.”

Ioannidis, who wrote the “cult classic” paper about why most published research findings are false, delivered a dynamic presentation with a call to action to better align biomedical research priorities with global needs.

Dubbed by the Atlantic as “one of the most influential scientists alive,” this Brave Thinker Scientist (2010) emphasized the need to safeguard quality and relevance in future research. Ioannidis left the audience with an inspiring message: that

“science is the best thing that has happened to humans,” and that “while biomedical research has been extremely helpful for humanity, we can do better.” Dr. John Ioannidis

Dr. John Ioannidis

The Chanchlani Global Health Research Award was

created by the Chanchlani family and McMaster

University in 2012 as an annual event to recognize

a leading scholar in the field of global health.

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Chanchlani Award Recognizes One of the Most Influential Scientists Alive Mac Gets a Royal Visit as International Symposium Puts the Spotlight on Antimicrobial Resistance

International university collaborations and the latest research on antimicrobial resistance were the focus of the visit to McMaster University by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and her husband Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven on Monday, May 15.

The couple, who were in the country to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, were greeted by McMaster University President Patrick Deane and City of Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger, before attending a ceremonial signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between McMaster and Vrije University (VU) of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Princess Margriet, who is honorary chair of the advisory board for the MSc Global Health program, and Professor van Vollenhoven also met with students in the program.

Princess Margriet then opened a symposium about antimicrobial resistance with scientists

and officials of McMaster and the Public Health Agency of Canada and scientists of Maastricht and the University of Utrecht.

“Research and innovation should be placed high on the agenda,” noted Princess Margriet in her opening remarks about resistance to antibiotics

– an issue that has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and others as an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires urgent action.

Princess Margriet also stressed the importance of international collaboration, commenting that,

“Resistant bacteria don’t respect borders and can move from one country to another when people travel, or migrate, or when food and animals are handled across borders. Therefore, international cooperation is key.” This cooperation, she emphasized, is needed at all levels – “at the policy level, in the academic field, between universities and research institutions.”

The Princess closed with an important message: “Antibiotics are the cornerstone of modern medicine and we need to keep them effective to ensure a safe future – a future where infectious diseases can still be treated.”

Professor Gerry Wright, director of McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, was keynote speaker at the symposium. After the session, he led the royal party on a tour through the institute and its Centre for Microbial Chemical Biology.

“We were very excited to welcome back Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet, who has been a driving force in our joint program with Maastricht University, and an important voice in addressing emerging global health problems” says McMaster MSc Global Health program director Andrea Baumann.

Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and her husband Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven

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Meet the Faculty

McMasterDeborah DiLiberto is is an interdisciplinary researcher with interests in the design and evaluation of health services interventions in low-resource settings. She has developed a new course, titled Research Methods: A Global Health Perspective, which will be offered to MSc Global Health students in winter 2018.

DiLiberto joined the program as a postdoctoral Global Health Scholar after completing a PhD in Public Health and MSc in Public Health in Developing Countries at the UK’s renowned London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Her research has followed an interdisciplinary approach to examine different methodological approaches for understanding how – and for whom – health service interventions bring about changes in health and the provision of care. In between her degrees, DiLiberto was based in Uganda managing two studies exploring ways to improve care for malaria at health centres as part of the ACT Consortium, an international research collaboration based at LSHTM and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

DiLiberto brings a rich background in large-scale project development and management, having also worked as a project and policy manager for both the Government of Ontario, and the UK’s National Health Services.

MaastrichtOriginally from Brazil, Valéria Lima Passos is currently Assistant Professor at Maastricht University. She teaches Methodology & Statistics in the Global Health program. Her vast teaching experience has taught her that a path to students’ hearts and minds, when it comes to statistics, is better travelled by encouraging them to think of the subject as a “reasoning process,” as opposed to number-crunching. Thus, she believes statistics should be taught in a verbal, visual and contextualised manner, where students are constantly engaging in a process of quantitative hermeneutics with public health data. The motto of Methodology & Statistics courses is: Do not learn how to answer the questions, but how to adequately question the answers. In this way, the Global Health Masters experience closely reflects the everyday tasks and struggles of doing research.

In her own research, Passos’ interest lies in model-based clustering for analysis of longitudinal data. Public and global health scientists are increasingly conceptualizing health and disease through a life-course framework. Passos works specifically with statistical approaches that reveal the heterogeneity of developmental trajectories and establish connections between identified life patterns and underlying socio-economic and environmental changes.

ManipalA social worker with 30 years’ experience in teaching and practice, Lena Ashok is currently Associate Professor and Coordinator of the social work program at Manipal’s Prasanna School of Public Health. She has been involved in the Global Health program since 2011, providing training sessions on qualitative methods and orienting visiting students on fieldwork. She also coordinates and facilitates social work electives for Global Health students.

Ashok is a recognized PhD guide and serves on advisory boards for PhD students, and post-graduate programs in sister organizations. Passionate about working with students, she continues to mentor post-graduate research. She is also actively involved in several community-based programs in schools, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Her research interests lie in maternal and child health, as well as adolescent health. She is part of several ongoing research projects funded by premier Indian institutions such as the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Indian Council of Social Science Research, and has published 23 papers in peer reviewed national and international journals. In her present assignment, in addition to her academic responsibilities, she is involved in three nationally and internationally funded projects within the university.

Deborah DiLiberto Valéria Lima Passos Lena Ashok

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Exchange Perspectives

With seven institutional partnerships, the Global Health program offers exciting exchange opportunities that provide students with rich international experiences. Here are just a few stories from participating students.

On behalf of all the Manipal exchange students, I can say that we’ll always cherish the incredible experience at Maastricht. During our initial days, the international relations officer guided us through the university, so we could get acquainted with our new environment. One faculty member also helped us with daily activities, showed us around Maastricht, and took us out for dinner as an icebreaker. Apart from the fun events, we had the opportunity to learn from the wonderful and highly skilled faculty. Completing five courses in three months was something we were anxious about, but thanks to the faculty’s guidance and the flexibility of the courses, everything went smoothly.

The university’s Problem Based Learning approach was an innovative and efficient method of learning

– and the discussions were fruitful! What I liked the most was that students respected each other’s opinions, even if they disagreed.

The exchange offered an opportunity to learn effective ways of working in an international setting, and how to be productive under a lot of work pressure. It encouraged multitasking and innovative thinking. Now, as a result, we’re confident to pursue challenging work in the global health field.

Hej! I have yet to encounter a language as difficult to grasp as Norwegian. German is a close second, but Norsk takes the cake. While I didn’t manage to add the modern equivalent of Old Norse to my repertoire during my exchange to Høgskolen i Sørøst-Norge (HSN), I learned a lot about the Norwegian welfare state, immigration in Scandinavia, the Sami people, and refugee healthcare. Our class even had the opportunity to go into the community and learn about health promotion for pregnant migrant women and the care of migrant children in Norway.

Outside of class, I found myself watching the sunset from the rooftop of the Oslo Opera House, navigating the waters of the Nærøyfjord, skiing down the slopes of Myrkdalen, and watching reindeer racing north of the Arctic Circle. If you are interested in learning about pressing social and environmental issues while exploring the great outdoors, Norway will not disappoint. I encourage any student eager to join the conversation on immigration, climate change, and indigenous affairs to consider going on exchange to HSN. Don’t forget to bring Kvikk Lunsj on your Nordic adventure!

2017 got off to an exciting start, with a three-month elective track in Community Health at Rosario University. Seven Maastricht University students travelled to Colombia’s beating heart: Bogotá. We received a warm welcome at the university as we were introduced to Rosario’s facilities and activities: sports, salsa classes, student associations, language courses, and quiet study spots in the impressive historical buildings.

We had the opportunity to visit one of Bogotá’s poorest neighbourhoods – El Codito – where we were exposed to the country’s inequalities. We participated in projects with topics ranging from maternal and child health to access to healthcare and mental health.

Studying with Colombian medical students, we learned how the university system works, and discovered more about Colombian culture, typical food, and nightlife. And the high-quality Spanish course helped us develop our language skills. Thankfully, the track offered us time to travel and discover the sights of this intriguing, beautiful, warm country.

Overall, this track was a great complement to Maastricht’s academic courses, providing hands on experience in a developmental setting.

Dr. Nasim Maherukh Jelena Poleksic Willemijn Cuperus and Jasmijn Coppens

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Alumni Stories

Global Health alumni from McMaster, Maastricht, and Manipal go on to pursue exciting work, and they’re making a difference in communities around the world.

Ricky Janssen Pursues Doctoral Degree and Explores Health Innovations in Low Resource SettingsSince completing the Global Health program, alumnus Ricky Janssen has been working in Maastricht University’s Department of Health, Ethics and Society as a tutor and researcher.

As part of her research fieldwork, Janssen spent two months in South Africa, where she used qualitative

research methods to investigate a new health innovation aimed at improving the availability and uptake of HIV testing. “Thanks to the skills I developed and social networks I built during the Global Health program, I’m progressing in a career that I’m excited and passionate about,” says Janssen, who is currently in the process of starting her PhD.

Janssen began the MSc Global Health at Maastricht University in August 2015, driven by her ambition to pursue a career related to health interventions in low-resource settings.

“The program’s multidisciplinary approach offered an exciting and interactive method of learning,” explains Janssen, praising the program’s course work and group tutorials for encouraging her to explore questions from multiple perspectives.

“The program provided a unique platform for in-depth discussion between students and professionals from all over the world,”

Janssen says. She reflects on the rich cultural and international experiences afforded by the curriculum, including the Global Health Symposium at Manipal University, and the opportunity to travel to Sudan, where she conducted her thesis research and was able to further hone her qualitative research skills.

Enrolling in the “Implementing Innovations on a Global Scale” concentration, Janssen was inspired to follow a vocation that would allow her to focus on how health innovations can be more effectively and responsibly implemented in various contexts, including contexts with limited resources.

“The knowledge and critical thinking skills I gained during the program, and the various international experiences it provided, gave me the foundation I needed to move forward in my global health career,” she says.

Ricky Janssen, Global Health Alumna, Maastricht

“Thanks to the skills I developed and social

networks I built during the Global Health program, I’m

progressing in a career that I’m excited and passionate about.”

Ricky Janssen

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Melanie Bisnauth Researches HIV/AIDS Infected Women in South AfricaMelanie Bisnauth is no stranger to hardship. While completing the MSc Global Health program, she tragically lost two close relatives. At the time, she was overseas in Johannesburg, conducting her thesis research on HIV-positive women. “Processing the loss motivated me to dive head first into what I am most passionate about,” explains

Bisnauth, who continues to pursue HIV/AIDS research, currently working as a senior researcher with Wits Reproductive Health and the HIV Institute in South Africa. She is also completing a PhD in Population and Public Health in collaboration with the African Centre for Migration and Society through the University of Witwatersrand.

“I decided to pursue my PhD in patient-centered care in South Africa because I wanted to provide a platform that would give voice to those often silenced – whether it’s the patients or frontline

healthcare professionals,” says Bisnauth. She points out that South Africa has the world’s largest HIV epidemic, and among the 7.1 million1 people living with the disease, women aged 15-24 account for 25% of new infections – four times that of men.

Bisnauth’s focus is on strengthening the response to marginalized women in high mobility contexts who are facing accessibility barriers when it comes to Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) HIV health care services. This work builds on her Masters research.

“My research has allowed me to develop and execute strategic interventions to create sustainable system-level program changes between executives, healthcare professionals and patients,” she explains. This research is now being used at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH) and South Africa’s National Department of Health for effective and efficient improvement in PMTCT programming to improve the health of millions.

Reflecting on the program, Bisnauth feels grateful for an experience that allowed her to make connections, develop a global skill set, and, follow her passion. “I’m also very grateful for such a supportive committee who mentored me throughout my thesis experience during unexpected life challenges. This goes way beyond the teachings within classroom walls.”

1. STATS SA, 2016

Alumni Stories - Continued

“I decided to pursue my PhD in patient-centered care in South Africa because I wanted to provide a platform that would give voice to those often silenced – whether it’s the patients or frontline healthcare professionals.”

Melanie Bisnauth

Melanie Bisnauth, Global Health Alumna, McMaster

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Sowmya Sundararajan: Working Towards a Career in Mental HealthA dentist by profession, Sowmya Sundararajan was keen to expand her skillset as a health professional and make a difference on a global scale. So she joined the Global Health program at Manipal University. Now, after completing the program, her career path has taken a new direction, as she works as a research assistant at Manipal while seeking opportunities to complete a PhD in mental health.

“Workshops on research methodologies and proposal writing really ignited my interest in areas of global health that I hadn’t previously considered,” explains Sundararajan. “That’s what led me to start thinking about mental health, and how I could build on the knowledge and experience I’ve gained.”

Reflecting fondly on the program, Sundararajan describes the Global Health Symposium as “the best part of this course.” For her, the highlights

were the interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds and walks of life, and the system mapping workshop. “It was a fruitful experience in terms of honing my leadership and management skills, and it was exciting to see such a huge crowd ultimately working for the same cause,” says Sundararajan.

Moving forward with a view to a future career in mental health, Sundararajan says

she is fueled by the desire to “help people find answers to their questions and to create awareness about a serious issue that many people disregard due to its social stigma.”

Sundararajan is excited for the next chapter, and thankful for the experience the program offered. “The decision to choose this course is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” she says.

“Workshops on research methodologies and proposal

writing really ignited my interest in areas of

global health that I hadn’t previously considered.”

Sowmya Sundararajan

Alumni Stories - Continued

Sowmya Sundararajan, Global Health Alumna, Manipal

Master of Science in Global Health

Global Health - McMaster UniversityGlobal Health Office, Faculty of Health SciencesMcMaster University1280 Main Street West, MDCL 3500Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1

globalhealth.mcmaster.ca

Global Health - Maastricht UniversityFaculty of Health, Medicine and Life SciencesMaastricht UniversityPO Box 6166200 MD MaastrichtThe Netherlands

www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/education/master/master-global-health

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