Lake Malawi Medical Volunteer Project

Ideally suited to medical students or volunteers with medical qualifications, but olunteers without medical experience may also participate. Assist the varied work of the Community Hospital, which provides medical aid to a wide community at the southern end of Lake Malawi.

You will help out with general duties at the community hospital and join the mobile medic team on visits to rural communities where they provide medical advice, immunisations, HIV/AIDS and dietary education and collect patient information of mothers and babies. Some volunteers may wish to join clinicians in consultations, where there is an enormous amount to be learnt about tropical and infectious diseases. There is the opportunity to help out in some of the other smaller community clinics in the local rural villages, as well as teach HIV/AIDS awareness in schools.

Volunteer Role
The general duties that you may assist with here include:

1. Under five clinics
Weighing the under five children
Screening
Giving different immunisations
Growth monitoring
Health talks

2. Water and Sanitation Programmes
Inspection of boreholes and pit latrines
Health education
Motivation for more pit latrines
Supplying cement for pit lining
Sanitation data analysis
Training village health committees in water and sanitation

3. HIV/ AIDS awareness
Health talks in the communities
Drama performances on HIV/AIDS
Home-based care support programmes

4. Food and Nutrition
Screening
Health education on the importance of food groups
Referral those severely malnourished
Giving food supplements (if any)

5. TB Programme
Screening of cases
TB medication according to regimen
Patient follow-ups (in villages)
Sputum checks

Programme Overview

Durations & Prices:
2008: 4 weeks £949, 8 weeks £1449, 12 weeks £1949
2009: 4 weeks £999, 8 weeks £1649, 12 weeks £2249

How to book & pay:
Secure booking with £195, balance is due 12 weeks prior to departure

What is included?
Project donation
Airport transfer
Orientation on arrival
All accommodation & meals
Full support and assistance
24 hour support number

What is not included?
Personal travel insurance
All flights
Email/Internet and telephone calls
Soft drinks, beer, wines & spirits
Visas
Any excursions not on itinerary

Programme Summary:
Help out with general duties at the community hospital and join the mobile medic team on visits to rural communities providing medical advice, immunisations, HIV/AIDS education and patient information
Other Malawi volunteer programmes

Arrival dates: First and third Monday of month.

Malawi Travel Advice:
Visit our Malawi Travel Advice page for useful travel information.

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