TODAY news - Jan. 16, 2003 - School of Public Health news

Thursday, January 16, 2003 TODAY

School of Public Health news

Seth Wiafe: His journey from Africa and life in the United States

Mr. Wiafe still treasures The Bible Handbook that he found as a boy.

Carrying a basket of eggs on his head, Seth Wiafe’s father made deliveries to the mission hospital in Ghana. Perhaps that’s how Mr. Wiafe, the first health geographics graduate in the United States, is where he is today.

Mr. Wiafe attended the hospital’s Sabbath school and camp meeting. While attending camp meeting as a young boy, he learned that not all white people were racist. Instead, these missionaries lived among the people of Ghana and helped them as Jesus did. However, he always questioned the day of worship and didn’t get baptized.

When just a boy, before Seth could read, his school was getting rid of some books in their library. He chose a brand new little book because he thought it was too new to be burned. Years later, when Mr. Wiafe was 20, he came across this book titled, The Bible Handbook. So he opened it and read the chapter about the seventh-day Sabbath.

Mr. Wiafe didn’t question the day of Sabbath any longer. He found the missionaries at the hospital, took Bible studies, and was baptized in Malawi.

Mr. Wiafe is a firm believer in the Lord. “There are so many things we can do in this world, but I feel all the glory should go to God.”

While in Malawi, he earned his medical technology diploma, as well as his health educator certification. Malawi is also where he met his wife, Beatrice.

Mr. Wiafe (in cap and gown) graduated in 2002 as the first health geographics graduate in the United States. Pictured (from left) is daughter, Adwoa, 9; daughter, Amma, 7; wife, Beatrice, MPH health promotion student; and son, Michael, 4.

The two journeyed to Ethiopia where they both worked and had their three children.

Just four years ago, the Wiafes came to the United States. They had no money and no home—only whole-hearted trust in God.

Mr. Wiafe and his wife planned to attend the School of Public Health. Of course, this posed a problem. Who was going to look after the kids? It just so happened that their apartment manager offered to watch their kids, who at the time, ranged from ages 7 months to 5 years old.

There was another problem. How were they going to survive financially?

It was the holiday season. Christmas day was approaching when a random young woman brought groceries to the Wiafes. Soon after, she and her mother-in-law, Lolita Hirst, took Mr. and Mrs. Wiafe Christmas shopping for their kids. Ever since, Ms. Hirst gives the Wiafes money every month and Ms. Hirst’s children pay for the Wiafe’s rent.

Another contribution the Wiafe’s are thankful for is their car. Ellsworth Wareham, MD, gave the family one of his automobiles. Knowing that the family couldn’t afford gas and maintenance, Dr. Wareham covers the costs.

The Wiafes have had numerous individuals help them along the way and still do.

Four years later, Mr. Wiafe is now the first health geographics graduate in the United States, graduating in 2002. He is currently working on his masters in public health (MPH), and his wife is working on her MPH in health promotion. The family is still struggling financially, but as Mr. Wiafe says, “We haven’t gone a day without food.”

Currently, Mr. Wiafe is seen working on a number of projects. He is an intern at Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI); a teacher’s assistant for Samuel Soret, PhD, assistant professor, School of Public Health; involved in redesigning geographic information system programs; presenting research in Atlanta, Georgia, for a convention held by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the World Health Organization; and working on his MPH with an emphasis in health geographics.

The School of Public Health is the first in the United States to offer a degree program in health geographics. Mr. Wiafe is their first and only graduate. “I’m excited about being the first graduate,” says Mr. Wiafe. “But not so happy to be the only student in this field. It would be nice so we can share ideas and integrate them.”

He explains the field of health geographics as “a public health profession involved with the application of principles, practices, and advanced technology of health for efficient management of the geography of health systems of a place. It combines different disciplines, such as the use of health statistics, medical geography, epidemiology, public health, GIS, health data visualization and modeling, and medical informatics for better management of the health industry.”

So what does he want to do with his degree? “I see myself as doing more of teaching and administration. I love teaching,” explains Mr. Wiafe. “Service is something that will make me happy. I feel that GIS can be a wonderful tool for the church.”

Mr. Wiafe doesn’t know what the future holds for him and his family, but states, “I do believe that God has something in store for us.”

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School of Public Health brings awareness of Geographic Information Systems

Academy students listen to a presentation given by Samuel Soret, PhD (standing on right), assistant professor, department of environmental health, about GIS.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Your alarm wakes you up at 6:00 a.m. You get up and turn on the lights and make your way to the kitchen where you make yourself a hot drink.

So how is this related to geographic information system (GIS) technology (a computer system for capturing and analysing data related to positions on the Earth’s surface)? A lot.

The School of Public Health participated in GIS Day 2002 last November. GIS Day is a global event where thousands of users of GIS technology open their doors to schools, businesses, and the public to showcase real-world applications of this exciting technology. Not only did LLU students attend this event, but students from Redlands Adventist Academy and Loma Linda Academy came to learn more about GIS.

Loma Linda University collaborated with many organizations including: the National Geographic Society, the Library of Congress, U.S. Geological Survey, the Association of American Geographers, University Consortium for Geographic Information Science, Sun Microsystems, and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI).

Now about your alarm clock and GIS.... The alarm clock and lights are powered with household electricity. A typical electric utility company serving millions of customers uses GIS to manage its complex infrastructure consisting of tens of thousands of miles of transmission and distribution lines and hundreds of thousands of utility poles.

The water the hot drink is made with is provided by a water utility operating a water distribution system that consists of thousands of miles of water mains. The utility uses GIS for customer service, emergency response, infrastructure maintenance, water distribution, automated mapping, network tracing, flow analysis, and other aspects of engineering, operations, administration, and finance.

“ Many aspects of our daily life are maintained by GIS,” says Samuel Soret, PhD, assistant professor, department of environmental health.

Not only does GIS affect people through electricity and water utilities, but also through transportation (e.g. ambulances and Caltrans), farmers (to map out their farm), warfare (e.g. tactic strategy and missile guides), crime analysis, mining, the internet (e.g. <mapquest.com>), and other forms.

Another important goal of GIS is its health applications. GIS evaluates access to health services and tracks geographic disease patterns. For example, in March, 2000, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Protection, along with other state agencies and local governments, finalized plans to monitor the state for potential mosquito and animal carriers of the West Nile virus. The virus causes an infection of the brain and may lead to death. Pennsylvania developed a comprehensive and statewide plan to detect and respond to a virus outbreak that relies on GIS.

The School of Public Health is holding a course in health GIS this winter quarter called, “Geographic Techniques for Health and Environmental Analysis” (ENVH557). Students will learn to use the decade’s most important analytical tool to improve the health of the world’s population and environment.

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Thursday, January 16, 2003 TODAY