Nonprofit COO expands minority health outreach to include rapid COVID-19 testing

Mauda L. Monger is chief operating officer at My Brother’s Keeper Inc. in Jackson

Mauda Monger is chief operating officer of My Brother's Keeper. Photo courtesy of Mauda Monger

How did you come to be involved with My Brother’s Keeper?

I have been working in HIV/AIDS for 16 years, and I have been familiar with their work to end HIV and improve the health outcomes for minorities in Mississippi. Additionally, prior to working there I was a member of the organization’s board.

How has the organization’s mission evolved since you joined?

Our mission has not changed, for 20 years the goal has been to improve health outcomes and access to health for minorities, and we are still focused on doing just that. In addition, to our full out community service, we have added rapid COVID-19 screening to our list of clinical services.

Why did you decide to expand the mission of My Brother’s Keeper to include COVID-19 testing?

We recognized early on that the pandemic was impacting minority communities at a much higher rate and here in Mississippi minorities were dying because of the comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes and asthma. It has been our mission to service minorities, and thus we knew that we had to respond to the coronavirus the same way we have HIV, STDs and primary care.
 

Do you see the LGBQT as being particularly vulnerable in this pandemic?

No. Because of issues around stigma, homophobia for persons who are LGBTQ+, accessing health care services can be difficult. However, their risk is just as great as persons who are non-LGBTQ+. Vulnerability exists when you have underlying conditions, access to health care and limited health literacy are all indicators for increased risk for any health disparity.

What concerns did you have taking on this role, such as ensuring the safety of you and your staff? 

Of course, we are concerned for the risk of our staff, but we have taken the necessary precautions to protect our staff. We ordered PPE, provided training and offered staff mental health services to ensure that they were able to cope with the new responsibilities of being a coronavirus screening site.

Of those who have tested positive, have you been able to keep up with their outcomes?

In some cases, we have been able to keep up with some clients because they were already our clients. However, that has been the extent of it.

How has the pandemic affected you personally?

Oh my, I am mentally and sometimes physically exhausted! My role has primarily gone to a virtual platform, and it has been difficult to create boundaries for persons outside of the organization. I am on Zoom 4-6 hours a day and still have my general administrative duties. So it can be a bit overwhelming, and then the concern for our staff as it related to coronavirus.

If there is one thing you would say to people about the pandemic, what would it be?

Please wear your mask! We all want to get back to life as normal, but we really are in this together, in which all have a role to play. We have to care enough about the next person to save both ourselves and others.

From the Frontlines is an ongoing series from the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting which interviews health care professionals on the frontlines of the pandemic.

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