PointCareinMalawi

A lot has happened since I last wrote. The project has progressed, local colleagues have come and gone, the weather and environment has changed and, as always, I have learned new things. The project is progressing by leaps and bounds. We started with visits to 9 communities in November but, after a fair bit of research into local prevalence rates, many visits with village chiefs, coordination with hospital volunteers, and advertising (posters, word of mouth, announcements in local churches etc.) we have now doubled that number. Our schedule is constantly changing as we try to make space for visits to new villages and more frequent visits to areas where we have experienced high turnouts. During a visit to a health center in Nkhwazi earlier this week we performed our highest number of CD4 tests so far ... read more

In the first 2 weeks we have visited 9 villages, counseled and tested 258 people (of which 9 were HIV positive), performed 47 CD4 tests (on new and previously diagnosed patients), referred 6 people for ARV treatment and distributed CPT to 9. The conditions, resources, staffing, set-up, patient population, education and attitude has been different everywhere. We have been pleasantly surprised with some responses and events that we have experienced and surprised in a different way by challenges we couldn't have even imagined we would meet. Patient demographics alone are not straightforward. People who come to the hospital are sometimes unsure of their age. In some villages we have visited recently almost every other person is unsure of their age. Some think they know the year of their birth. Some think they know their age. Some ... read more

I have been quite amazed to find out how aware Malawians are of the term 'CD4 count'. They even have a name for it in Chichewa - Chitetezo Cha Mthupi. They know what the number means for them, and they know that same number off the top of their head. CD4 counts are difficult to obtain in Malawi and the locals here consider themselves very lucky that they can have a CD4 test at St Gabriel's for free. People actually come from all around for this privelidge, even from the capital to this small village of Namitete. Word has definitely gotten out about the project. Our distinctive vehicle ('the house' or 'the peacock' as some children have started calling it for it's size) is starting to be known. Over the past few weeks we have travelled ... read more

“Well officer, this is a little unusual isn’t it?” Too many events have happened over the course of the past few weeks for one entry so I am breaking up my latest news from Malawi into a couple of chapters! My good friend and ex-colleague Todd is over visiting from San Diego for a few weeks. He is helping me a lot with work (more of that in the next entry) but we had a public holiday the other day, to celebrate the end of Ramadan, so we took a little road trip to Ntchitsi Forest Reserve. There is an interesting thing that I have discovered about several of the ‘tourist spots’ in Malawi and that is that they really are ‘hidden treasures’ i.e. they are hard to find even if you’re trying! It’s difficult to ... read more

I told my mum and dad I had a little surprise coming for them and all would be revealed with this entry. Well, I know I did introductions last time but I have to do some more. Could we please give a warm welcome to Terry and Heather Simon (or Telly and Heathero as they are known to the locals). Yes mum and dad (Heather and Terry for those of you who don't know them) you now also have Malawian counterparts. They’re cousins actually, born within a week of each other. I met Heather in the hospital the day she was born. Her mum's brother-in-law (a schoolkid who likes to stop by and visit and hang around outside our house) asked me to name her. I spent at least half an hour asking him if he ... read more