Peter Armon writes:

I was recently privileged to attend the ICMDA Southern Africa Regional Conference which was held in Malawi at the end of April. Over 200 delegates, both graduates and students, from nine different countries, attended the Conference, which was held in a beautiful setting on the shore of Lake Malawi. ‘Change our lives and change our Lands’, was the theme. It was wonderful to experience the vitality and enthusiasm of the participants and the great desire for radical change involving both repentance and the willingness to respond to God’s call to service (see p7 for full report).

As Daryl Hackland the new ICMDA President, who was also present, commented, ‘It was good to be together in Malawi and to share both in fellowship and in the happenings at the conference regarding the moving of the Spirit in the lives of those who were there towards effective witness for the Lord in the national affairs of the countries represented. This was so encouraging and remarkable, especially through the positive Christian Leadership being demonstrated by many key role players which was evident through their contributions at the conference’.

It was 28 years since my wife and I were last in Malawi and it was equally interesting to note the changes in the country. We enjoyed wonderful hospitality from both overseas members and the local people – as one would expect from the ‘Warm heart of Africa’ – but it was sad to see the increasing divide between rich and poor Malawians and to note that Healthcare provision seems to have worsened rather than improved over the years.

Malawi Profile – food for Thought

Current population – 11.6 million Aged 0 – 14 years – 46.8% – including an orphan population of 800,000 children

There are 156 doctors working in the MoH and Christian Hospital Sector which is 700 short of the number required to reach a ratio of 1 per 12,000 of the population recommended by WHO (1974) and comparable to 161 in post in 1984. There are no doctors in 4 of the 27 Districts of Malawi. Of a requirement for 115 surgeons, only 17 posts are fi lled; 4 out of 14 posts for anaesthetists; 11 out of 126 posts in O&G; 3 out of 65 posts for Physicians and 5 out of 60 in Paediatrics.

The nursing situation is equally serious - 64% of the established 6,084 nursing and midwifery posts in the public sector are vacant. The total number of 2,178 is slightly less than the 2,225 in post in 1984 when the population was 7 million. In 2002, 103 nurses left the country (83 to go to the UK) and in 2003, 108 nurses left (90 to go to the UK).

27% of public sector posts for Clinical Offi cers and 53% of the 692 established posts for Medical Assistants are also vacant.

(Based on a Malawi Ministry of Health Survey, April 2004)

Overseas Opportunities

Malawi is only one of many countries in a similar position. Visit the opportunities pages on the overseas website at www.healthserve.org or read the Opportunities Abroad section of Triple Helix to see that many vacancies exist in other parts of the world as well.

Moving on to Tanzania, it was interesting to hear a Tanzanian saying that ‘what this country needs most is older people with the skills and experience to teach our people. Our people respect the wisdom of the older person and will listed to him/her far more than they will to the younger person’

Retirees take note! There are many opportunities for those thinking of taking early retirement to make a valuable contribution to healthcare overseas.

Developing Health CD Rom

As the cover sleeve to this new CMF produced CD states, it contains 60 sets of notes and 30 PowerPoint presentations from the last three Refresher Courses, together with 40 sets of notes from the US based website eMedicine; 23 editions of the Journal of Community Eye Health, Developing Mental Health and Repair and Reconstruction Journals, the Healthserve Pages from the CMF overseas website, the Kisiizi Hospital Medical Staff handbook, Elective Life Support – an eight week devotional guide for Elective students and much more.

Many thanks are due to Ian Spillman, Nick Mott and Jacky Engel, who have put so much effort in bringing this resource to birth. It is intended to be a resource to those working in resource poor situations overseas. If you know of any such that you think would benefi t from copies or if you are travelling abroad yourself to such a country, you are welcome to contact the CMF Offi ce for free copies to take with you and leave behind.