Finally, back to doing field work in Northern Kenya, what an amazing feeling! COVID had brought all field work to a standstill, and we've been focusing for the last year and a half on generating data from previously collected samples. However, with strict vaccination, quarantine, and testing policies in place, we were able to make a trip to several remote areas of Northern Kenya in late September/early October. As usual, the THGP team received a warm welcome from Turkana communities. The people appreciate the free medical care they get from doctors and nurse practitioners who work with the THGP, and through our multi-year history of working with particular communities, participants are now excited to enable our research. In particular, we all hope that the discoveries made by the THGP will inform future health policies that will ultimately prove useful to all Turkana.

​During this past trip, we implemented a new and improved study protocol with fine-tuned interview questions, new point of care devices, and streamlined biological sample processing protocols. It was a great trip, but was constrained by one factor beyond our control: halfway through out trip, there was a heavy downpour that flooded our camping site. We had to move camp in the middle of the night, and we were lucky that we didn’t lose any of the collected samples or sustain any equipment damage. You don't expect these particular weather challenges in the (usually) arid Turkana region!