Our Global Voices Posts
Together, Let’s End Polio: Reflections from CDC’s 2022 Polio Response in Malawi
CDC Health Scientist Stephanie Dopson reflects on her recent deployment to Malawi supporting the CDC Polio Response. Throughout my 23-year career at CDC, time and time again, I am reminded that it takes the collaboration of many to make a difference in public health. I have served in many responses and deployments, including the anthrax Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentA COVID-19 Paradox: Finding Strength in Weakness
Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” And I, being the opportunist that I am, might have taken that a bit too literally. A month and a half before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, the International Task Force (ITF) was formed at CDC to Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsHispanic/Latino Global Health Experts Help CDC’s COVID-19 Domestic Response
My name is Edgar Monterroso. I’m a senior epidemiologist with CDC’s Center for Global Health and board member in CDC/ATSDR’s (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) Latino/Hispanic Health Work Group. In the science community, we apply knowledge we’ve learned from past pandemics to current situations, just as we are doing with the current CDC Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsPublic Health Veteran Leads Global CDC Team from Atlanta During COVID-19
I first learned about what would soon be called the COVID-19 pandemic after I returned from the 2020 New Year holidays and met with a colleague to resume work as usual. He mentioned that a “new coronavirus” had been identified in China. I thought to myself, “hopefully it won’t be as serious as SARS.” I Read More >
Posted on byMoving to Atlanta to Help Stop COVID-19 in Kansas and Beyond
Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, I was a Public Health Institute/CDC Global Health fellow in CDC’s Central America office located in Guatemala City, Guatemala. I developed communication strategies that showcase the important work of my colleagues in the region. I also managed disease surveillance projects in Honduras and the Dominican Republic and helped with research Read More >
Posted on byRoutine Monitoring Reveals COVID-19 Surge in Brazil
Brasilia, BRAZIL – A native of Brazil and a medical epidemiologist by training, I joined the CDC South America Regional Office on August 31, 2020, as its Senior Technical Advisor. The global pandemic had been going on for most of 2020, and I remember the sense of dread I had when I first heard about Read More >
Posted on byDiverse Group of Atlanta Experts Support COVID-19 Field Team in Brazil
When CDC staff go into the field to investigate outbreaks, a diverse group based in Atlanta supports their every move. Scientists create research protocols, logistics coordinators handle travel and lodging, someone looks for funds to pay for the work. I am an epidemiologist. Earlier this year, as the Atlanta lead for a team that deployed Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentGoing Home to Brazil to Investigate a New COVID-19 Variant was Enormously Rewarding
MANAUS, Brazil – I was born and raised in Brazil, near the city of São Paulo. There, I got a medical education at a top institution, a privilege very few have. When I decided to come to the United States to pursue residency and training, it was not without some self-doubt. I knew the opportunities Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsWorld Meningitis Day 2021: Improving Meningitis Surveillance in Burkina Faso
Imagine losing a loved one to a tragic illness like meningitis, an illness that still ravages parts of the world. Meningitis represents a daunting and deadly health challenge for Africa, but today there is hope. April 24th—World Meningitis Day—presents an opportunity to both raise awareness about the dangers of meningitis and build on progress that Read More >
Posted on byContinuing to Fight, 10 Years and 12 Outbreak Responses Later
When I heard COVID-19 was spreading around the world, I struggled personally, knowing we would be responding for a long time. I needed a silver lining to keep me grounded and give me hope so that I could focus on helping my country. As COVID-19 spread across Europe, it was clear that COVID-19 was going Read More >
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