Reflection activity

An anthropologist was conducting an ethnographic study on Buruli ulcer patients in a half-way home. Buruli ulcer is an infectious debilitating necrotic skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Early treatment with a combination of antibiotics can greatly improve the disease outcome. The study was designed in such a way that a health worker from a nearby health facility was required to make a daily visit to administer injections. However, due to the long distance between the half-way home and the nearest health facility, the health worker was unable to make the necessary daily trips. (Note, the anthropologist was staying within the community where the halfway home was located). Discuss the ethical issues raised by the scenario described above and how they would be handled by your team. For example:

• Should the health worker train the anthropologist to administer the daily injections to the patients?
• What ethical issues should the project research team consider?

Anticipated responses:

• The health worker should not train the anthropologist to give the daily injections.
• The entire research team should consider and discuss the implementation challenge and take appropriate measures.
• Ethical clearance should be sought from the relevant ERCs, informing them of the implementation challenges, the proposed actions (e.g hiring another competent health worker to administer the daily injections).
• Budgetary implications should be communicated to donors, as appropriate.
• The research should only continue after seeking guidance from the ERCs.