Newsletter: August 2005
The Staff at the Hospital now numbers 43, with the prospect of an increase in staffing this month, if the Malawi Government implements its promised review of establishments in Rural Health Centres.
DFID has funded “top-up”allowances for Clinical Staff in an attempt to persuade them not to apply for posts in other countries where the financial rewards are so much higher. We are fortunate at St. Andrew’s in having a waiting list of applicants for Clinical posts.
Harvests this year have ranged from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’, with the consequence that serious food shortage is inevitable within the next few months. Already the Nutritional Rehabilitation Unit for Under-5 children has 10 in-patients and 17 out-patients: at this time of year we would normally expect 2 or 3 in-patients. Ours is the only NRU in the District, and is training other health care workers in the management of chronic malnutrition. What was built as the Guardian Shelter for the Clinic is now completely taken over by the NRU, and so a new Guardian Shelter will have to be constructed. Malnutrition in children continues to be a major problem.
Over the last four months 120 under- fives were tested for anaemia: of those, 5 had normal haemoglobin levels, 43 had mild anaemia and 72 severe anaemia. Link those figures with 44% of under fives tested for malaria being positive, and you see just how vulnerable these children are.
In the ante-natal dept. there are integrated education programmes taking place every day – nutrition, baby care, family planning, HIV education. We currently have one Outreach Clinic which involves an 80 km round trip every month for a Clinical Officer, a nurse and a Health Care worker. We are in discussions with the District Health Officer to begin a second Outreach Clinic (this one only a 60 km round trip!). At these Clinics work is done in clinical, immunisation and health education spheres.
St. Andrew’s is also working with Government and NGO sources in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and other STI’s. Currently in Malawi there are estimated to be 170,000 patients in need of ARV drugs, but only sufficient medication this year for 35,000. We also now have access to free palliative care drugs such as morphine. A room in the Hospital is being refurbished as a VCR(Voluntary Counselling and Testing) centre whilst we wait for the result of an application to the Global Interfaith Programme for funding to develop a purpose-built centre. Local volunteers from the villages are being trained as counsellors.
The Maternity Unit goes from strength to strength. Increasingly expectant mothers are being persuaded to have their babies in hospital where proper care is available in the event of problems, and more and more they are staying in hospital for 48 hours after delivery.
One new baby weighed only 800grms at birth, but because she was born in hospital where she can be kept warm in an incubator, she will survive. Her twin sister weighed 1.2 kg., and is also progressing well.
Wrekin College in Shropshire funded the construction of an Orphan House which will eventually accommodate 32 children and their carers, as well as being a day-centre for many more local orphan children. The centre will provide a meal every day for all the needy orphan children in the Mtunthama area. A group of students from Wrekin spent a couple of weeks decorating the inside of the orphan house, as well as working at the hospital. In addition other young people from St.Andrew’s Church, Plymouth, and one volunteer nurse from Canada have spent time at the Hospital in July and August.
The current situation is immensely encouraging. A significant amount of maize has been purchased ready to respond to the expected food shortage; the Maternity Unit is delivering over 50 babies a month; the NRU is now providing a sophisticated and well-funded programme to counter some of the effects of chronic malnutrition in children; the orphan house will open this month; almost 100 children are being sponsored through school. Of course there are problems. In the cold weather there have been some very serious burns cases – all children; malaria and pneumonia are rife; malnutrition is an ongoing problem; and anti-malarial drugs, on sale cheaply in small shops throughout the country, are literally poisoning people as they contain dangerous chemicals.
The Operating Theatre in early August. Construction is now at lintel level, but we desperately need funding to complete the building. Once completed, this facility will make a huge difference to the range of procedures the Hospital will be able to carry out.
Looking ahead, our immediate aims are:
- to complete the building of the Operating Theatre;
- to achieve a purpose built VCT unit;
- to construct the necessary post-operative wards;
- to build a Dental Unit;
- to build a new Guardian Shelter to replace the one now used for NRU;
- to build the extra staff houses we need as staff numbers increase;
- to construct an administration block, releasing rooms in the Hospital for clinical work.
The “100 Club”, our main source of income, was set up to meet routine running costs; these have more than doubled as the Hospital has grown. Members of the “100 Club” make regular monthly contributions of £10 or more. If you could help in this way, please contact us.
Thank you all for your continuing support.