The UW Department of Global Health and MetaCenter for Pandemic Disease Preparedness and Global Health Security are partnering with Kenyatta National Hospital to host a webinar series, "Washington and Kenya: Opportunities for joint learning on the COVID-19 epidemic". The series, developed by Keshet Ronen and John Kinuthia in response to requests from our long-time partners in Kenya, seeks to share lessons learned from Washington’s early experience of the pandemic, and engage with clinicians, public health practitioners and policymakers in Kenya as they develop Kenya’s response.

That a professor of epidemiology could take part in an odd competition like weightlifting was sure to leave Kenyans’ mouths agape.

Added to the fact that the mother of four and grandmother of two is a few days shy of her 58th birthday (she was born on October 26, 1961, like President Uhuru Kenyatta), the result was an internet sensation.

That is why a photograph of Prof Elizabeth Bukusi, chief research officer at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), has been doing the rounds on social media in the past week.

The Global Health Immersion Program (GHIP) is the University of Washington’s flagship global health program for preclinical medical students. Since 2003, the program has sent students to developing countries to deepen their understanding of healthcare delivery abroad, the causes of illness, and the impacts on communities. 

More than 30 years ago, University of Washington and Kenyan researchers first began partnering to strengthen global health research and action in Kenya. Since then, collaborations have blossomed, mutually strengthening both UW researchers and their Kenyan counterparts and resulting in long-term health impacts in Kenya and beyond.