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As a research and development agency, we primarily focus on health as our core area of interest. Tuberculosis has remained a major focus area since our inception in 2004. So, as we are celebrating World TB Day this week, Research Uptake and Communications Unit with the support of Information Technology Unit at HERD came up with a plan to test the knowledge of HERD staff with regards to tuberculosis through a quiz programme.

Altogether, we came up with 20 questions related to TB with 4 options to choose from. The questions were then developed into a digital form using Kobo Collect application. This application was then installed into tablet PCs. The participants then participated in this quiz programme using the tablet PCs where they clicked on the option they presumed as correct one. The questions generally included ways of TB transmission, symptoms of active TB, process of treatment and diagnosis, causes of TB, first line drugs, among others.

Altogether 18 HERD staff members participated in this quiz programme, of which most of them were public health researchers. Those researchers who were directly involved in the TB projects did not participate in the survey. The staff members were given 10 minutes to complete the quiz. The results were revealed immediately within 5 minutes, as the responses were directly stored into the application software and based on the pre-set programme, the marks were calculated.

  

We also awarded the staff members scoring the highest marks. Out of 20, Shophika Regmi - Project Manager obtained the highest marks while Rekha Lama Tamang – Data Management Assistant scored the second highest marks. Both of them were awarded with a special mug – with the message on TB Control printed on it.

Sudeepa Khanal - Manager, Health Systems Research handing over the award to Rekha Lama Tamang for securing second position

Rekha Khatri - Manager, Qualitative Research handing over the award to Shophika Regmi for securing first position

When feedback was sought with the participants about organizing such a quiz programme, Hom Nath Subedi, Senior Programme Manager viewed, “This is a really good initiative where learning can be fun.” After being awarded, Shophika Regmi in jubilation replied, “Wow! I had never won an award before in school! I am really excited. However, on a serious note, I am also equally concerned that being a student of public health, the marks that I obtained is not that great to be proud of. This event has made me realize that as public health researchers, we need to be more aware and knowledgeable of the global and the local issues and context surrounding health matters. Nevertheless, I congratulate the Research Uptake and Communications Unit for this noble concept. We are changing the way learning is encouraged.”

HERD is organizing several events building up to celebrating World TB Day on March 24.

Let’s get united to End TB.