Kolabo 2019: Day Nine Blog
Women in Psychiatry
Dr. Kiyeti Agnes Hauli was the first psychiatrist at Bugando Medical Centre and a pioneer as a female specialist in an under-serviced area of medicine. She is currently the Head of the Psychiatry Department (Mental Health) with Bugando Medical Centre, oversees patients with mental illness in inpatient, outpatient, and consult liaison settings and helps to teach 60+ students simultaneously on the ward in conjunction with Dr. Matiko Mwita, who joined her at Bugando several years later. She described how she had to overcome adversity for being doubly stigmatized as both a psychiatrist and a female physician to Dr. Kathy Fitch, Leader of Kolabo’s 2019 excursion team. They discussed challenges faced by female leaders when working in male dominant environments, as well as infrastructure concerns, and stigma associated with mental illness in Tanzania and in Canada. Examples of infrastructure challenges in Tanzania include overcapacity, for example they are consistently 20-30 beds short on the unit and many patients have to share mattresses and sleep outside, as well as difficulties maintaining patient dignity in the face of scant resources. Dr. Hauli is an inspiring and kind-hearted individual who has dedicated her life to serving a vulnerable population.
“[On being a female psychiatrist in Tanzania] It was hard and stigmatized... but it is my passion and it makes me happy.”
Dr. Kiyeti Hauli discusses what it is like to be a female psychiatrist in Tanzania with Dr. Kathy Fitch, a psychiatrist working in Calgary, Canada.
Substance Use Small Group
The MD5 student leaders facilitated their last small group teaching session for the psychiatry curriculum of 2019, on substance use disorders! We were kindly visited by Dr. Vihar Kotecha, a General Surgeon and Lecturer for the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (CUHAS), who was interested in how small group teaching sessions impact both MD3 students and MD5 student leaders. He was very interested in implementing small group learning in some of the surgical courses in the future to better facilitate individual learning!
Dr. Kathy Fitch (University of Calgary Psychiatrist) and Dr. Matiko Mwita (Bugando Medical Centre Psychiatrist) discuss with Dr. Vihar Kotecha (General Surgeon at Bugando Medical Centre and Lecturer for CUHAS surgical courses) the purpose and benefits of small group learning.
MD5 student leader, Rosemary Ndunguru, facilitates a small group discussion on substance use disorders, including alcohol and opiate use.
Psychotherapy Lecture
Dr. Kathy Fitch, a specialist practicing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in Calgary, discussed the basic principles of the various modalities of psychotherapy for the MD3 students. She had the MD3 students actively practice mindfulness exercises in the classroom and taught principles that help build rapport with our patients.
Final Review Lecture
Dr. Kathy Fitch delivered the final review lecture whereby she answered questions anonymously submitted by MD3 students throughout the week. The University of Calgary team was highly impressed with the students continuing to make gains in critical thinking in psychiatry with their thoughtful questions!
Dr. Kathy Fitch led both the Psychotherapy lecture and Final Review lecture for MD3 students.
Visit to Dancing Rocks
The Calgary team was kindly escorted by Dr. Mwita (Psychiatrist at Bugando Medical Centre) and two of his medical clerks and student leaders from the CUHAS MD5 class, Subliaga Philemon and Kelvin Peter, to the site known as “Dancing Rocks,” atop the monstrous boulders overlooking the city. The Calgary team was very excited to share this experience with them and watch the sunset over beautiful Mwanza and Lake Victoria!
