PrEPinator - Makobu Kimani
Dr Makobu Kimani: PhD candidate Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) and the University of Amsterdam. He is a Medical doctor (with post graduate training in global health), SANTHE fellow, member of the Kenya Medical Association and a reviewer on the KEMRI Scientific and Ethical review board. Outside of work he is a fitness enthusiast and loves long distance running.
His Research: Makobu is a medical doctor with experience and expertise in public health. He is now pursuing a PhD in behavioural science. Behavioural science is what it sounds like, the science of how people act (behave), how they see the world, and what decisions they make. It is used by companies to try to sell you something (look at a packet of candy and see how it’s trying to tell you a story through packaging’s colours, words, and pictures) and it’s used in health care to understand what people think about medicines and health programmes and then guide them to access those programmes for better health. (See nudges for some clever ways to change behaviour).
Makobu is interested in PrEP – pre-exposure prophylaxis, - a medicine that can prevent HIV when taken regularly. Makobu talks to groups of people to learn what they think about HIV, PrEP, health care in general, and specific health programmes that are available to them. He wants to know people’s real feelings so that they can develop health programmes that will reach the most people and be as effective as possible.
“I am working towards making HIV prevention services accessible to the most at-risk populations. If we reduce HIV in this section, we can effectively eliminate HIV in the entire population.”
His Heroes: “Barack Obama- Obviously because of his Kenyan roots, his excellent presidential legacy, his role as a model husband and dad and his ability to quietly retire into the sunset.”
His Top Tip: There are going to be good days but in equal measure, there will be bad/hard days. Learn something from either season and use it to make you a stronger version of yourself.
What does it take to succeed in science? We asked everyone to rank the following from most important to least: Curiosity closely followed by hard work, creativity and communications are equally ranked
What else do you need? Resilience- develop a tough skin
His Superpowers! Ability to extract a lot of information from non-verbal cues during interviews
His scientific strengths: Mentoring others and team spirit
Connect: LinkedIn
In isiZulu
UDkt Makobu Kimani: Ikhandidethi ye-PhD yaseKenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) kanye neNyuvesi yase-Amsterdam. Ungudokotela Wezokwelapha (oqeqeshelwe iziqu zezempilo emhlabeni wonke), umlingani we-SANTHE, ilungu le-Kenya Medical Association kanye nombuyekezi ebhodini lokubuyekeza i-KEMRI Scientific and Ethical. Ngaphandle komsebenzi ungumthandi wokuqina futhi uthanda ukugijima amabanga amade.
Ucwaningo Lwakhe: UMakobu ungudokotela onolwazi kanye nobuchule kwezempilo yomphakathi. Manje wenza i-PhD kusayensi yokuziphatha. Isayensi yokuziphatha yindlela ezwakala ngayo, isayensi yokuthi abantu benza kanjani (baziphatha), indlela ababona ngayo umhlaba, nokuthi yiziphi izinqumo abazenzayo. Isetshenziswa izinkampani ukuzama ukukudayisela okuthile (bheka iphakethe likaswidi ubone ukuthi lizama ukukuxoxela kanjani indaba ngemibala yephakeji, amagama, nezithombe) futhi isetshenziswa ekunakekelweni kwezempilo ukuze uqonde ukuthi abantu bacabangani ngemithi. kanye nezinhlelo zezempilo bese ubaqondisa ukuthi bafinyelele lezo zinhlelo zempilo engcono. (Bheka ukugudluza ukuze uthole izindlela ezihlakaniphile zokushintsha ukuziphatha).
UMakobu unentshisekelo ku-PrEP - pre-exposure prophylaxis, - umuthi ongavikela i-HIV uma uphuzwa njalo. UMakobu uxoxa namaqembu abantu ukuze afunde ukuthi bacabangani nge-HIV, i-PrEP, ukunakekelwa kwezempilo nje jikelele, kanye nezinhlelo zezempilo ezithile ezitholakala kubo. Ufuna ukwazi imizwa yangempela yabantu ukuze bakwazi ukuthuthukisa izinhlelo zezempilo ezizofinyelela abantu abaningi futhi ziphumelele ngangokunokwenzeka.
“Ngisebenzela ukwenza izinsiza zokuvikela i-HIV zifinyeleleke kubantu abasengcupheni kakhulu. Uma sinciphisa i-HIV kulesi sigaba, singayiqeda ngempumelelo i-HIV kuwo wonke umphakathi.”
Amaqhawe: "UBarack Obama- Ngokusobala ngenxa yezimpande zakhe zaseKenya, ifa lakhe elihle likamongameli, indima yakhe njengendoda nobaba oyisibonelo nekhono lakhe lokuthatha umhlalaphansi buthule ekushoneni kwelanga."
Ithiphu Yakhe Ephezulu: Kuzoba nezinsuku ezinhle kodwa ngokulingana, kuzoba nezinsuku ezimbi/ezinzima. Funda okuthile kunoma iyiphi isizini futhi ukusebenzise ukuze ukwenze inguqulo yakho eqinile.
Yini edingekayo ukuze uphumelele kwisayensi? Sicele wonke umuntu ukuthi aklelise okulandelayo kusukela kokubaluleke kakhulu kuye kokuncane: Ilukuluku elilandelwa eduze ukusebenza kanzima, ubuhlakani kanye nokuxhumana zibalwa ngokulinganayo.
Yini enye oyidingayo? Ukuqina - ukuthuthukisa isikhumba esiqinile
Amandla Akhe Amandla! Ikhono lokukhipha ulwazi oluningi emikhondweni engakhulumi phakathi nezingxoxo
Amandla akhe esayensi: Ukuqondisa abanye kanye nomoya weqembu
Xhuma: I-LinkedIn