Anudeeta spent six weeks in Uganda (specifically the cities of Lubowa and Kampala) during the summer of 2018 interning at an HIV clinic, the Joint Clinical Research Centre. For the past two years, Anudeeta has been working on a research project that aims to build an all-encompassing lifestyle and mental health app for HIV-positive adolescents, teens, and young adults. She hopes this will reduce poor health outcomes and bridge the gap in communication and knowledge between the patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. Most importantly, she wants to connect patients to doctors, counselors, and peers at the comfort of their homes so they can get their questions answered and the psycho-social support they need.
“My first week in Uganda, I traveled to Kalangala Island as I am a global ambassador for the Roof & Equip Winnie Campaign, aiming to build a comprehensive trauma center for child survivors of sexual abuse and human trafficking in the Kalangala Islands. After that, my first couple weeks in JCRC were spent getting oriented with the staff, meeting with my consultants for this project from PINA (People in Need Agency), and conducting interviews of HIV-positive patients. Then, with the help of my consultants, I conducted pilot testing of the app prototype. My final week in Uganda, I was able to go on a weekend trip to Murchinson Falls with some of the other UMich students working on other projects in Uganda.”