Medical anthropology research the cultural variations in how folks understand, reply to, deal with and forestall sickness and illness.
Marta Levitt ’76 obtained her begin within the area of medical anthropology with a BA in anthropology from Stony Brook College. She went on to work in additional than 11 international locations to forestall HIV/AIDS, scale back maternal and neonatal mortality, and tackle important points like baby well being, vitamin and malaria.
At the moment, Levitt continues to put her levels to work in Nigeria as chief of occasion for the USA Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID) Built-in Well being Program.
Inform us about your areas of experience within the area of medical anthropology.
My PhD analysis and dissertation was on delivery and conventional delivery attendants in Nepal. My analysis turned the idea of Nepal’s Nationwide Conventional Delivery Attendant Coaching Program. The federal government then invited me to be the advisor for that program, the place I labored within the Ministry of Well being for 10 years.
This led to a 40-year profession all through Asia and Africa that mixed medical anthropology analysis, theoretical information and public well being apply to give attention to maternal and new child well being, HIV/AIDS, household planning and reproductive well being, baby well being, vitamin and malaria.
Are you able to clarify your main tasks as chief of occasion for one of many largest USAID built-in well being applications?
As chief of occasion for the Built-in Well being Program (IHP) in Nigeria, I’m liable for managing and implementing a really complicated undertaking — working to scale back morbidity and mortality to girls of reproductive age and youngsters below 5.
On this function, I present total imaginative and prescient, management and steerage and supervise senior employees. IHP has six sub-projects, every with a full employees in 4 states. In complete, now we have over 200 Nigerian employees.
The IHP covers a variety of main healthcare interventions in each the private and non-private sectors. We additionally assist healthcare settings strengthen their monetary and knowledge methods, human sources, well being commodities and medicines, digital well being and technical options, and repair supply. My job is to make sure the combination of all technical areas and powerful collaboration with donors, different implementers and native counterparts.
I play a necessary function in coordinating with different U.S. Authorities tasks and growth companions. I characterize the undertaking and work with the best ranges of presidency on the nationwide and state ranges, in addition to with senior policymakers, and in skilled and donor boards. An vital a part of my work is to construct crew spirit and cohesion.
Inform us about your journey from Stony Brook College to your present place. How did your experiences at Stony Brook put together you for this function?
I initially majored in bioengineering as an undergraduate however rapidly modified to anthropology after taking a course with Professor Paula Brown Glick. After that, I took plenty of anthropology programs and located unimaginable assist from the division’s late chair, Phil Weigand, a famend Central Americas archaeologist who engaged me in lab analysis. I used to be additionally impressed by Professor David Hicks, a social anthropologist who launched me to the examine of kinship, ritual and cultural beliefs. This formed my anthropological pursuits and led to additional programs with Division of Linguistics Professor Mark Aronoff.
Residing in eight international locations and dealing in lots of extra, how has your worldview of healthcare impressed your work?
In lots of cultures I’ve labored in, sickness can have non secular causalities that require rituals and prayer, so one should perceive and construct on these beliefs to introduce fashionable medication and well being interventions. It takes social mobilization and dealing with influential folks, comparable to healers, conventional delivery attendants and non secular leaders. So I’ve discovered to respect and perceive such beliefs, retaining conventional/native practices that have been useful whereas making an attempt to exchange dangerous practices that may result in sickness with efficient public well being practices.
Your work has tackled main points, from HIV/AIDS to maternal and neonatal mortality. What have been your proudest achievements?
I’ve had many proud moments in my profession. I designed the Maternal and Youngster Well being Employee Program in Nepal, for instance, which educated and employed native girls as well being staff within the nation’s most distant areas. This program nonetheless exists after 25 years.
I based the White Ribbon Alliance for Protected Motherhood in India, which influenced nationwide insurance policies and led to vital declines in maternal mortality.
In Zambia, I collaborated inside an inter-agency U.S. authorities crew to convey HIV/AIDS prevention, care and remedy providers that saved 1000’s of lives.
In Washington DC, I labored with USAID, the State Division and the non-public sector to design and implement the Saving Moms, Giving Life Initiative, which diminished maternal mortality in choose areas of Zambia, Uganda and Nigeria by over 40 p.c in lower than 4 years.
What recommendation would you give to college students following in your footsteps?
Be artistic — take programs and seize alternatives for studying and analysis throughout disciplines. In case you are fascinated about public well being, get a number of levels with a powerful basis in a social science, science, math or medical area earlier than incomes your Grasp’s in public well being.
Along with your research, discover employment, internships or analysis alternatives that give you expertise in your area. You might wish to think about applications such because the Peace Corps to get your foot within the door for each authorities and non-government jobs.
