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Joint research agreement with the University of Cape Town:
The NST visits South Africa
As well as offering her knowledge of telemedicine to students on the other side of the globe, Tove will investigate the potential of modern technology for simplifying the lives of the many people affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
Outcome of the Mandela seminar
- “As a result of a seminar on HIV/AIDS which the NST organized during the Mandela concert in Tromsø last year, a cooperative programme was launched between our community in the north and Cell-Life in South Africa. Cell-Life is a young organization working on the development of technology for sectors including the public health service. Together we will explore the possibilities for using mobile technology, for example to follow up patients who are taking antiretroviral (ARV) medication,” explains Tove Sørensen.
She also has a near collaboration with the Medical Research Council in South Africa.
Long experience
Tove takes with her a decade of experience from work in telemedicine projects at the NST. She was appointed to work with international challenges, and for the past four years she has headed the WHO activities in Tromsø.
- “It is with great humility that I have accepted this offer. Economically and technologically, South Africa is one of the countries which have developed furthest on the African continent, and politically it is one of the most influential. The fact that I have been invited to share my knowledge with the people there does not mean that I will be coming home empty-handed. I think the learning curve will be steepest for me,” she emphasizes.
Accompanied by her sons
When she boards the plane from Tromsø at the end of August, Tove will be accompanied by two sons aged 13 and 16. They will go to an all-boys’ school in Cape Town where uniforms are compulsory and the level of formality required is rather different from the situation in Tromsø. Tove lived in Kenya for a year as an exchange student, and has some idea of what lies in store for her and the boys this autumn.
- “This is primarily a professional challenge for me. Next, it will be an exercise in diplomacy to function well together with two teenage sons in a foreign country with rather different challenges to what we have in Norway. But you can be sure we are looking forward to it,” she concludes.
Back in January
Tove Sørensen will be back at the NST in Tromsø in mid-January 2007. From South Africa, she will take care of her function as head of the WHO unit, but will work in close cooperation with colleagues in Tromsø in connection with general WHO activity.
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