Under a shelter, with the rhythmic patter of a tropical downpour in the background, I am writing this blog.
As a medical intern, I lived in Suriname for three months in 2017, and last month, thanks to my work, I had the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful country once again. This past week, we visited two high schools with Viruskenner. For years, Viruskenner has been coming to the Nassy Brouwer College, and it is always a special and heartwarming experience. The students were once again enthusiastic and hung on every word of Professor Van Gorp as he gave his presentation on virology and global health. In turn, we were just as impressed; the students asked insightful questions and already had a strong foundation of knowledge! We are looking forward to the presentations they will give on the final day.
Speaking of knowledge, following Viruskenner, we took the opportunity to expand our own expertise at the 29th edition of the Surinamese Immunology and Infectious Diseases Symposium. As part of my PhD research, I gave a presentation on the treatment of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients. Eric shared his knowledge on Mpox and the infectious complications of biologicals. It was three interactive days with a friendly atmosphere and plenty of room for jokes.
When my EMC colleagues returned to the Netherlands, I decided to stay a little longer. Last year, we established a collaboration with the Academic Hospital Paramaribo (AZP), where we are also investigating my PhD research questions within a Surinamese cohort. Together with Anfernee Neus, an ambitious Surinamese student who is completing his medical degree, I worked hard over the past month to make progress on this project.
All good things must come to an end, and so does this wonderful experience in Suriname. But who knows—perhaps next year, Anfernee and I will present our results at the promising 30th edition of the symposium!