(MPHI, 2023) Mamco Selab Scholarship recipient
I am a Veterinarian from Nigeria, who studied and worked as a field vet for 5 years prior to commencing this programme. I worked as a small animal practitioner prior to commencing work as an Animal health support on a UK funded Antimicrobial Resistance programme in Nigeria which was keen on tackling resistance using a One-health approach. This ended in 2021 after which I made the decision to further in public health.
Why did you pick LSTM to study?
My work on the antimicrobial programme introduced me to LSTM which was involved in providing technical support to the project. I researched and discovered they had a robust AMR programme which is one of my focus areas.
Why is it important for organisation like LSTM to offer scholarships?
For Low- and middle-income countries like mine, the educational system is not very good. We are constantly being faced with university strikes and a lack of facilities to improve educational learning. To get quality education which a lot of us desire, we are forced to look to developed countries which we cannot afford. Without these scholarship opportunities, most of us may never have been able to acquire the quality education we greatly desire.
What do you plan to do after you graduate?
Prior to coming to LSTM, I had always been keen on using my technical abilities for the promotion of population health. I intend to work with health-based organizations dealing in public health issues to offer my skills and technical support for the improvement of population health. My focus remains on Antimicrobial Resistance and Zoonotic disease emergence especially in Low- and Middle-income Countries like mine.
What would you say to someone thinking about coming to LSTM?
Coming to LSTM has afforded me the opportunity to meet and share ideas with experts in my field of interest which would never have been possible for me. The experience I have gotten in my little time here has greatly built my confidence and is shaping me for my future career.