Orientation

Mike with one of the clinical officer students, Wyson, discussing a patient on the medical wards.

We have completed 3 weeks of our required orientation at Kamuzu Central Hospital. This last week was a bit of a change as the clinical officer students started their rotation in Internal Medicine, so we had some opportunity to be teachers (although we still feel like students--learning the system and the medicine/culture of Malawi). The Clinical officers are the back bone of the health system in Malawi. Their training is 3 years long starting right after high school. Most of their training is "hands-on" and when they finish their training they are trained in clinical medicine as well as many surgeries--such as C-sections, hysterectomys, appendectomys, and more. We hope to be more involved in the training of the health providers in Malawi in some capacity at Partners in Hope.

The "konde"--this is the balcony which was made for the patients guardians, but most days is occupied by patients. Fortunately we are in the dry season, but during the rainy season apparently this area gets very soggy as the "wall" to the right is open to the outside.

Looking out the window on the 2nd floor you can see the where the patients guardians stay while caring for the patients. Most of them sleep outside. The guardians provide daily care and food for the patients. The hospital provides a porridge and sometimes a piece of fruit daily (I think), but not enough, so the guardians either prepare food or buy it and bring it to the patients.