Interview with Vince Radke, March 1, 2023

Interview Summary

Radke’s preservice in-service training as a PCV in the Health sector was pre-empted by the smallpox a cholera outbreak in Ethiopia during November, of 1970. He and the other members of his cohort were sent to Atlanta in September, 1970 to be trained in smallpox eradication by experts at the CDC Centers for Disease Control; “the best training I ever had,” claims Radke. His cohort was to help eradicate smallpox; however, there was an outbreak of cholera that took precedence once they arrived in-country. In Jima Addis Abebe, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, Radke sometimes vaccinated 10-12,000 people a day for cholera. Later, under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), he during his 3.5 years he and his Ethiopian counterpart vaccinated people in the Kaffa region for smallpox, often hiking while pulling with pack mules into remote areas. Radke and his colleagues found cases of smallpox by talking with church officials, school administrators, and community leaders, and recorded every case encountered. He extended Towards the end of his Peace Corps service and he worked in drought relief efforts. During his service and his involvement with the WHO, he worked with DA Henderson, a world-renowned epidemiologist; these experiences lead Radke to his chosen profession in public health. Peace Corps gave him confidence in his abilities, cultivated empathy for others, and proved that large-scale positive change is possible to achieve.

Interview Keyword

Smallpox eradication Cholera EthiopiaCDC Jima, Ethiopia Ministry of Health World Health Organization Kaffa, Ethiopia drought relief DA Henderson Epidemiologist

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.