Bruno Rocha – Drawing on Global Health skills to identify and report health threats

Bruno came to the Global Health programme with a background in medicine, and a motivation to dig deeper and understand “why”: “Why is a patient unable to access or afford medication? Why is this person part of a population that often faces certain medical conditions? I felt blind to these questions that can only be answered through a multi-perspective approach.”

Bruno felt the need for a broader perspective and a systemic change, and enrolled in the master’s programme in order to work towards this. Here he became part of a diverse cohort of students from a range of settings, backgrounds and disciplines, including doctors, psychologists, anthropologists, economists and policymakers. “Because so many determinants affect global health, each student brings their own expertise to tackle health inequities.” 

Bruno recognises that some of the most important tools Global Health students are equipped with through the programme are critical thinking and scientific communication skills. “Critical thinking is something often overlooked. But being able to debate with others on topics that matter to you is of great value.” He adds: “Writing is a prominent activity in the master’s. The feedback you receive from professors is similar to the feedback you’ll receive as a professional, so you’re prepared for the work field.”

After graduation, all alumni share a common characteristic: they develop the capacity to be critically reflective about the issues they encounter. Bruno and his peers often joked that once you study Global Health, there is no turning back. “It was groundbreaking to touch upon so many topics. We even reviewed the role of genetics in the behaviour of a population. I certainly didn’t expect that in the curriculum.”

Drawing on the knowledge and skills he developed through the programme, following graduation, Bruno applied for a range of positions, including as a researcher, programme assistant and project coordinator. Bruno: “I was offered an internship at the WHO within the information and dissemination team from the Public Health Intelligence (PHI) unit. The team was looking for an individual who could write professional reports in English and be able to communicate them with people from different backgrounds - something that was taught to me during the master’s programme.”

After his internship, Bruno was offered a position as an epidemiologist within the same team. “Although I didn’t graduate as an epidemiologist, the skills from Global Health are transferable to other roles.” Bruno’s job is to trigger an alert whenever there's a health hazard or risk that might be of relevance to the WHO. An example of an event that could catch his attention is the sudden occurrence of a disaster. For example, Bruno explains, “a hurricane touches land in a country. Such a disaster causes infrastructural damage; vulnerable people have a higher chance of diseases or could have a hard time reaching hospitals. Once an alert is triggered, we assess the risk to public health, monitor the interventions and communicate health emergency information to Member States to guide decision-making. This is where Global Health comes in - the communication needs to be crystal clear from a professional and political view. It cannot be misinterpreted.” 

The work Bruno performs requires a broad understanding of health and what it encompasses as a whole, and he is able to fulfil this role by drawing on what he learned through the Global Health curriculum. Further, he can draw on his experiences on the programme more broadly. “Global Health wasn’t just about discussing global perspectives. You live through it by connecting with students from all over the world.”

Recognising the impact of the Global Health programme, Bruno adds: “The programme will change you and your views forever.”

Text: Ruben Beeckman

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