We are finally back in Blantyre after a busy week of data collection around Malawi. We’ve visited Mzuzu and Kamuzu central hospitals, Bwaila maternity hospital, and Rumphi and Kasungu district hospitals. It’s been so nice to drive around Malawi and see more of the country. There were villages and markets all along the way and we didn’t see any stretches where there weren’t people walking or biking alongside the rode. In the highlands it was especially green and mountainous. We found great places to stay and great places to eat along the way and even ventured into the market in Lilongwe. We quickly learned that, as our driver German put it, “The price depends on the color of the person.” I’m sure we will be pros at bargaining soon!
Mzuzu–like Colorado in summer
Everyone at the hospitals has been very friendly and helpful. We’ve seen a wide range of environments at the different hospitals but certain things they all had in common—lots of patients, minimal equipment, and busy health care providers! I also saw the coolest improvised sprinkler head at KCH. A disposable water bottle with holes, connected to a hose, that works like a charm! Why doesn’t everyone do that??
Brilliant
Walking through the hospitals, my first thoughts were that all the familiar associations with a Western hospital are missing: the constant beeping of monitors, the cool air, the clicking and whirring of machinery and computers, national news and kids’ tv shows in the background. We mostly saw maternity wards and pediatric wards and it was amazing to get a glimpse at how the nurses are able to treat large volumes of neonatal patients with RDS, pneumonia, birth asphyxia, malaria, TTN, meconium aspiration, and more. When I asked some of the nurses if they enjoyed their jobs, they all had positive things to say and seemed to love working with the babies. Our time at the hospitals was limited, and most of it was spent working with the data, but I can’t wait to start work at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) next week and spend more time there.
Ariel and MK having fun with data. Outside Kasungu
We also picked up the bCPAPs that will soon be at 8 different hospitals throughout Malawi. Interestingly, the warehouse where they were stored had higher security than the US Embassy we stopped by on the way! At least we know our bCPAPs were safe and sound in Lilongwe. This week I’ve realized how much coordination and effort on both continents it takes to implement the CPAP project, and I’m so happy to be able to help with it (for detailed info on the project, see Ariel’s blog! 🙂 ). But for now, I am looking forward to exploring a bit more and visiting a national park tomorrow! I also decided Ariel and I need to work on our Malawian cooking skills after 2 failed attempts at making pasta sauce. It really is much trickier without an American grocery store!
Highlight of the week: First successful trip at the market! And every meal on the road.
Chichewa word of the day: tionana (see you later)