Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is power. However, it can come at a cost. This is an invaluable lesson we learned today at the Kibale Health Center. Around 300 patients visit the clinic per month, and while obtaining the appropriate drugs and treatment options can be expensive, patients who comply to the recommended regime will reap the benefits of recovery and healthy living. Unfortunately, patients who don’t will pay an even higher cost – their life. Knowledge itself can be spread just like an infectious disease. However, it can go both ways; valuable information can be used to educate the masses, but there is also the possibility of transmitting misinformation, which may breed stigma or lead people to make the wrong decisions about their health. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria, and cholera can be managed properly if they’re equipped with the knowledge of how to reduce transmission, especially in countries like Uganda where prevalence of such diseases take a huge toll on the population. In such cases, knowledge is vital.

Reflection by: Bob Kigen, Jason Knapp, Christine Park, and Veerta Singh