Closing in on doctor, patient ratio
The Nation, 1st April 2008
by Monfort Lisunje
'' While some people have described reading as a dying culture in Malawi, Umoyo Trust has demonstrated that reading can help solve the acute shortage of medical personnel in the country.
Indeed, Malawi is a country where major hospitals like Queen Elizabeth. Kamuzu Central, Zomba Central and Mzuzu Central have an acute shortage of doctors. Some district hospitals do not even have a single doctor.
The problem is mainly due to lack of resources and poor remuneration in government hospitals. This is compounded by the fact that there is only one institution in the country training doctors, the College of Medicine in Blantyre, and space to accommodate undergraduates at the institution is limited.
There is also one institution that trains nurses and midwives to a degree level - the Kamuzu College of Nursing.
As if this is not enough, of the few doctors and nurses the country trains, most of them seek jobs outside the country where they claim to get good returns for their labour.
In fact, some people claim that there are more Malawian doctors and nurses in Scotland alone than they are in the country.
Of course, others get jobs locally but most of them are working with nongovernmental organisations where they are not directly involved in medical work.
Umoyo Trust, which has “Publishing for Life” as its motto, is currently publishing and donating health handbooks to various home-based care providers.
The story of the health handbook dates back to 2004 when 20-year-old Katarina Korenkova—a Slovak who founded Umoyo Trust - came to Malawi. She saw the shortage of doctors in the country a serious problem.
Working as a volunteer for a home-based care (HBC) project in Chiradzulu, Katarina noted that the sick did not receive much medical attention due to lack of medical personnel in hospitals and other heath institutions and thought of doing something about it.
Three months later, she came across an English health care handbook titled When There Is No Doctor. The book, authored by David Werner and published by Hesperian Foundation in 1979, gave her an idea. She decided to reproduce the book and distribute it to home-based care groups in the country.
Knowing that most Malawian would not read English and that the English version was too expensive for an average Malawian, Katarina decided to translate the book into Chichewa and make it affordable.
Today, Pamene Palibe Dokotala is a popular book among home-based care groups (HBCs) in Ntcheu and Phalombe.
The book offers guidance in diagnosis, prescription and proper use of drugs.
As at now, Umoyo Trust has already published 6.000 books.
Over 700 books will also be distributed to Health Surveillance Assistants in Balaka and Phalombe following a donation the trust made to the Ministry of Health a couple of weeks ago.
“This book, as you would discover. is a reference material providing guidance in diagnosis, prescription, medication and treatment of various health .ailments,” said James Manda, Chairperson of the trust when he make the donation.
Manda said the book can be used in homes, schools, colleges, orphanages and other public institutions.
“The book does not only talk of primary health care the sick are supposed to get, it also outlines many diseases from diarrhoea to tuberculosis and how to treat them.
“It also explains preventive measures for diseases and correct ways of taking drugs,” a review on the back cover of the book says.
Minister of Health Khumbo Kachale believes the book will help solve problem of shortage of medical staff his ministry faces.
“My ministry has an acute shortage of doctors and qualified health workers in general. This book, which is intended for use by primary health workers such as health surveillance assistants and home-based care providers, will bridge this gap,” said Kachali.
Katarina is upbeat the book would help improve the health situation in the country.
She says Umoyo Trust will translate and publish more books.
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