Poly Students Briefed on Global Health

On Sept. 9, Poly students met virtually with alumna Catherine Clary ’09, who joined from Geneva, Switzerland. Clary works for the World Health Organization and is currently tracking the latest surge in Ebola-Bundibugyo virus.

During the lunchtime discussion, students received an overview of epidemiological studies and an update on the Bundibugyo strain. Clary also discussed the challenges global health organizations face when balancing national sovereignty with global health needs, particularly at a time when funding is increasingly limited.

Bowe L. ’27 said Clary’s work offered an inspiring example of the impact Poly alumni can have. “It was really amazing to be able to learn from an expert who has actually been in the field on a topic that I had only been able to observe from afar,” Bowe said. “What really stuck out to me was how the work that WHO does ultimately can change how the world is able to save lives, which I think is as important as a job can get.”

Kaitlyn C. ’27 also appreciated the opportunity to learn about the WHO’s role in responding to health crises. “Through her talk, I learned more about the role of the World Health Organization (WHO), what Ms. Clary’s duties are as an epidemiologist, and the current status of the Ebola virus crisis,” Kaitlyn said.

She was particularly interested in how the WHO assesses the severity of health emergencies. “It made me ponder on the ethicality of who ultimately gets to determine a given situation’s severity,” she said.