This project would not have been possible without many others who are not listed as authors. Thank you to Professor Laurie Miller and our Teaching Assistant, Amal Ghazalein, for reviewing each deliverable with detail-oriented eyes. Thank you to the MPA program and the Brooks School of Public Policy for providing us with the opportunity to work on this project as our capstone project.
Health care in rural Uganda is multifaceted. It becomes evident, through reviewing the vast amount of literature covering the subject, that a comprehensive understanding of the health beliefs, barriers to healthcare access, and the intricate interplay of traditional medicine is essential to reduce the disparities in health outcomes currently seen in the region.
Current testing models require individuals to travel long distances to local healthcare centers to receive tests, but due to prohibitive costs, a shortage of health workers, and stigma that has discouraged travel to healthcare facilities, many at-risk individuals are unable to receive necessary testing.
Developing countries such as Uganda often struggle to create realistic action plans to ameliorate inequalities that impact people with disabilities. Inequalities may take many forms and may cross many areas of life, including medical care, education, and social inclusion, and may further vary based on disability and geography.
The Global Livingston Institute partners with local organizations in Uganda and Rwanda to provide free health services such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing, cancer screening, and family planning counseling to residents during the iKnow Concert Series and the Tour du Rwanda Concert Series.
In Spring 2017, the Cornell Institute of Public Affairs (CIPA) capstone team—Quynh Tong, Yang Li, Rafia Farooqul, and Jazlin Gomez, worked with and provided pro bono consulting services for the Global Livingston Institute (GLI), a non-governmental organization in Uganda dedicated to cultivating global understanding of poverty and fostering healthier communities.
