Malawi
Other Years
Malawi 2005
Monies awarded to FoAN by the Scottish Executive as part of a support package for a variety of projects in Malawi, enabled the first visit to take place in November 2005. Lesley Fudge and Kate Woodhead travelled with Jennifer Simpson who was kindly supported to travel, by Molnlycke Healthcare. A small but enthusiastic group of 22 perioperative nurses, from hospitals all over Malawi were gathered in the School of Nursing in Lilongwe. They were supported to travel, and study by monies from the Scottish Award.
A number of new concepts were introduced to the nurses, such as manual handling, details of nursing documentation and the theory of safe electrosurgery. We were delighted to hear of the infection control guidelines which are in use in Malawi, which all hospitals practice, and there is even a national competition on compliance with the guidelines.
The closing ceremony was much enhanced by dancing and singing in gratitude for their educational gains! Ground support was provided by Ministry of Health Nurse for Education, who also attended the course.
The nurses had formed a Perioperative Nurses organisation, by the end of the week which was given some small funds by FoAN, to help them to communicate with each other and develop and distribute application forms. The organisation is named the Perioperative Nurses Association of Malawi (PONAM), and will continue to be supported as they grow, by FoAN.