On Bangkok

Greetings from Bangkok! I mentioned in my last post that I’d been outside of sub-Saharan Africa; more precisely, I’ve been in Thailand. After a somewhat troubled journey (my Kenyan Airways flight from Nairobi to Bangkok was spontaneously canceled twenty minutes prior to departure) that necessitated my spending a night in Nairobi—the airline did pay for my visa, accommodation, and transport to and from the airport—I landed (DVT free) in Asia last Monday evening.

I traveled to Bangkok for a Clinton Foundation global conference for laboratory staff. Approximately forty-five people were invited to attend, representing the majority of the countries in which CHAI operates . To list some (though I’m surely missing others), there were staff from Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania, Jamaica, Ukraine, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Malawi, Uganda (me!), etc. Staff included both analysts (such as myself) and those with technical laboratory training. Ages in the room likely ranged from 25 to 65ish.

The agenda was jammed packed. It covered logistical topics (market access, pricing of laboratory equipment, supply chain management, service delivery and design, forecasting and budgeting), technical topics (CD4, viral load, rapid diagnostic tests, TB, Malaria), surveillance and quality control issues (regulatory frameworks, post market surveillance, MOH structures and policies) and large policy issues (early infant diagnosis, point of care technologies, user fees). Hearing the debates and experiences of both scientists and analysts who’ve been working in this field for a while was extraordinarily helpful. Not only did it expose me to concerns and nuances that I’ve not yet encountered in Uganda, but it gave me a framework through which to view my work and a number of new ideas to run by the MOH.

Though our schedule was quite full, we did have an afternoon free and I extended my stay by one extra day so as to have slightly more time in the city. Because it would be excruciatingly boring to post pictures of our conference room (where I spent the vast majority of my time), I’ve included a couple of shots from sites around Bangkok. More can certainly be found in the new photo album I’ve created! I leave Bangkok in about an hour to return to Uganda, so my next post, though it may recount a story or two from Thailand, will greet you from Kampala.

(Pictures embedded in this blog include the Grand Palace, the Golden Budda, chapels that surround the Reclining Budda (and their reflections).