The ELMA Foundation is providing us with funds to renovate several neonatal wards in hospitals throughout Malawi. Our first ward assessment was Nsanje Hospital at the southern tip of Malawi. Last Wednesday, a team of us travelled about 2.5 hours to visit with the CPAP supervisor, doctors and nurses working in the neonatal ward, and maintenance supervisors at Nsanje to discuss expansion and renovation of the nursery. Below is a plan of the existing neonatal ward; it is 18 m2 in size.
The healthcare workers at Nsanje desire the following changes to improve neonatal care:
- Ability to accommodate 10-15 babies instead of 6
- 3 phototherapy machines for babies suffering from jaundice
- 2 incubators for premature babies
- 2 heaters to keep babies warm
- 2 working oxygen concentrators
- 2 bCPAP machines
- A small bathroom, including a toilet, sink, and tiled-flooring
- A medicine cabinet
- A closet to keep sanitary gowns and boots
- Waiting area for families
- Connection to KMC
- Nurses’ working station
- Beds for mothers staying overnight
- Complete infection control
Below is our solution, which addresses each of the prescribed visions, is conscious of budget, and optimizes use of the existing architecture. The new nursery will be over double the size of the old one with an area of 39 m2. Doctors and nurses will be able to serve 12 babies at once comfortably and have all of the technologies they need to keep the babies alive to the best of their abilities. Mothers will also be well taken care of with open bunk beds, space to feed their baby on the couches, plus direct access to KMC. We look forward to the construction process and seeing the nursery transform within the coming weeks to better serve its tiny, worthy patients.
Off to perform ward assessments in Mulanje tomorrow, and Chickwawa on Wednesday!