My name is Rebecca Oziohu Omosimua and my passion as a researcher is to design and develop vaccines. I decided to apply for this opportunity because it’s not enough to just design vaccines, but the vaccines must be accepted and used by those who need them. I want to understand those factors that increase acceptance and uptake of vaccines particularly within the African setting. I imagine the possibility of integrating vaccine design and development with implementation science. My long-term vision is to develop transdisciplinary research that transends the development of effective vaccines and that implement proven intervention that increase uptake.
In the course of this training; I have learnt new concepts, such as context and why it matters, the politics of engaging with stakeholders, which is in being creative and with the right team and the most audacious dreams anything can be achieved. There is no way i can communicate with the community without being creative. I also learned that with the right team and the most audacious dreams anything can be achieved. People were at the heart of every discussion. It reminded me that behind every protocol and data point are human beings, patients, healthcare workers, policymakers, and community gatekeepers. I now recognize the importance of co-creating solutions with those most affected and the value of community engagement to ensure vaccine acceptance and trust. Concepts like the PLAN framework, stakeholder mapping, and implementation fidelity have added new layers to my scientific lab experience. Through SWOT analysis, my strengths are strong technical expertise and project management, but my weaknesses is in engaging policy and community actors. The course exposed opportunities to collaborate more meaningfully across disciplines, while also warning of threats like limited will and logistical hurdles will derail good intentions. Adaptation involves my adjusting our plans in rural communities and tailoring interventions to meet local beliefs. I learned that flexibility is not a compromise of scientific rigor but a requirement for relevance. Finally, I’m committed to nurturing these insights through practice. I will seek partnerships with social scientists and implementation experts, include community voices in my projects from the start, and advocate for vaccine strategies that reflect both evidence and empathy.
