NEWS LETTER March 2005

SUMMARY OF 10 YEARS OF MAHECAS

For the first three years MAHECAS raised funds and concentrated in assisting three hospital Chitipa, Ntchisi and Chikwawa as the main recipients with the other hospitals being assisted as the need arose.

Year	Amount	Beneficiaries
1996	£5,200	Ntchisi, Chitipa, Chikwawa
1997	£5,350	Ntchisi, Chitipa
1998	£7,400	Ntchisi, Chitipa, Zomba Mental Hospital, Lilongwe Central Hospital
1999	£9,560	Chikwawa, Friends of Mlambe and Nguludi Hospitals, Lilongwe Central, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospitals
2000	£7,320	Chitipa, Lilongwe Central Hospital
2001	£7,580	Ntchisi, Lilongwe Hospitals and Disaster Fund
2002	£12,300	Mulanje, QEC Hospital,  Mtakataka and Flood disaster
2003		Concentrated on Fund-raising
2004  2005	£14,000	Lilongwe Central Hospital and  QEC Hospital Blantyre

MAHECAS also obtained medical equipment from various organisation and hospitals, which were upgrading their stock. These were shipped to Malawi and distributed to the following hospitals.

Hospital	Equipment
Zomba General Hospital	Beds, baby cots & lockers to furnish a whole ward
Lilongwe Central Hospital	Image Intensifier & Gloves Laboratory kits, syringes & needles
QEC Hospital	Syringes, needles & laboratory kits
ChikwawaHospital	Operating table

PROJECTS (2004-2005)

1. PHARMACY EXTENSION AT QEC (£8,000)

The Pharmacy department at QEC Hospital needed renovation to increase space for storage, dispensing and a waiting area for patients. This would free the corridors leading to the pharmacy, wards and other departments from queuing people who were blocking the movement of trolleys carrying patients. The Medical Director appealed to MAHECAS for help with the extensions and renovation. The work started in 2004 and is now complete.

Completed Pharmacy Waiting Room

 

2. HOSPITAL RECEPTION AREA £3,000(2004-2005)

Lilongwe Central Hospital Computer Steering Committee (CSC) working with Baobab Health Partnership an NGO introduced computers in the Hospital for patient care. Four Touch Screen Workstations were needed for registration of outpatients. MAHECAS was asked to assist funding the renovation of the hospital entrance to create a reception area to house these workstations. The building work is now in progress and expected to be completed by the end of 2005.

Reception Construction work at Lilongwe Hospital

3. GUARDIAN SHELTER (Estimated Cost £27,000)

Patients’ relatives play a vital role in the care, feeding and nursing of patients admitted in hospitals in Malawi. Carers of patients who come from very far have to stay in the crowded accommodation provided by the hospital or sleep by the patient’s beds or in the corridors of the hospital. They cook food for their sick and for themselves out in the open at the mercy of the weather.

Lilongwe Hospital managers discussed the problem faced by these Carers with late Dr E Kadzombe co-founder and first Chairman of MAHECAS UK on his last visit to Malawi before his untimely death. He presented the problem to the Executive Committee, which decided to build a Guardian Shelter in to alleviate this problem. Most of the Fund-raising activities of 2004 and this year are for this project. Work colleague of Late Kadzombe at Aintree University hospital have made donation of £400 towards this project and promised to raise more money.

MAHECAS is appealing to all well wishers for funds to build this Shelter to alleviate the suffering of these Carers at this hospital.

At the end of March 2005 over £10,000 was raised.

Guardians of patients cooking in the open

 

COOPERATION WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS

1. CSP DISTRIBUTORS UK

(African Healthcare Community Support Partners)

i. General medical devices

 " Senior Partner, Mr Christian Prinsloo from CSP Distributors UK has supported Malawi medical Services through MAHECAS in the past 2 years. We

are now fortunate to have a strong relationship with them whereby they have to date supplied medical devices valued at millions of Malawi Kwacha. Apart

from Malawi, they have also supported other African Countries.There is a particular emphasis on safety devices that prevent needle stick injury and thus directly help protect staff and patients who are at risk of cross-infection. Other products include general medical devices and surgical supplies as well as glucometers and the required reagents. Products are of exceptional quality, which, without CSP, we would not have been able to afford locally. CSP and MAHECAS continue to co-operate together in identifying specific local medical supply needs/shortages and CSP donates wherever possible".

ii. Nurse Training Bursary Scheme

One of the major contributions CSP Distributors has made is to source funds for Nurse Training Bursary Scheme worth £16,400 per year which will provide a bursary to train four nurses a year. These nurses will be bonded to work for the Government of Malawi Medical services for a specified period.

MAHECAS is proud and very grateful to have a working relation with CSP Distributors UK and its Senior Partner Mr Christian Prinsloo.

2. KENNETH JOHN LEE TRUST NOTTINGHAM (UK)

Radiology Department Renovation (£3,000)

The hospital wanted to ease the congestion of patients waiting to have radiographs taken. Like patients in the pharmacy they too had to wait and stand in queues in the corridors. The Kenneth John Lee Trust of Nottingham, England donated £3,000 to MAHECAS for eenovating the radiology department at QECH, Blantyre. The renovation was done in Memory of Lyness Mkweteza (nee Makoko) a friend of the Trust. This work started in 2004 and completed in 2005

Completed waiting room for Radiology Dept

CHANGE OF EMPHASIS

In 2003 the Executive committee suggested to the AGM that the help should concentrate to the Central Hospitals because it was becoming difficult to monitor the aid given to the District hospitals. It was also decided to fund projects, which were easy to monitor such as structures, easily identifiable and medical equipment not easily misappropriated..

MAHECAS has now changed its policy of not sending medicines for fear of being misappropriated. The Executive Committee accepted the suggestion made by Dr Mwansambo, Paediatrician and our Co-ordinator in Malawi, that medicine, which are unavailable in Malawi for specific patients’ use requested through the co-ordinator, can be sent.

FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES

A way forward:

The vice-Chairperson Dr (Mrs) Matiti will be the overall co-ordinator of fund-raising events. Volunteers will be sought to initiate fund-raising activities. Any volunteer can initiate and co-ordinate fund-raising activities provided Dr (Mrs) Matiti or the Executive Committee are informed.

Confirmed Fund-raising Events this year

13^th May 2005:

Wirral Peninsula Coastal Sponsored Walk.

Sponsor Forms from E C Lizi 0151 6446864

6th August 2005:

The Malawi Association Midlands in conjunction with Malawi Health Care Support presents Kuche-Kuche Dinner Dance in Nottingham.

Venue: Polish Club, Clumber Road

Time:6pm till Dawn.

Entry Fee £20 adult, £10 under 10 years.

For tickets and details contact:

Ellen Tembo: 07799152158

Dr V Mtika: 07769870461

8th October 2005

10^th Anniverasy Dinner dance and National Raffle Tickets Draw, Palms Hotel, Essex

For further details please contact Mrs Janet Kabambe Tel 01268754972

A WORD OF THANKS

I would like to the thank all donors, Supporters, Fund- raisers present and past Executive Committee members for making MAHECAS succeed in its goals for the past 10years. There is a lot MAHECAS can do to assist the medical services in Malawi. I am hopeful that MAHECAS will go from strength to strength and survive another 10 years. We all have to work very hard to attract funds from donors who are inundated with requests from various charities.

Dr Edward C Lizi,

Chairman Malawi Health Care Support (UK)