Malawi In desperate need of medical care

NAIROBI, 19 May 2010 (IRIN) - Shortages of medical staff have been identified as one of the major impediments to achieving the health-related UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For example, one of the poorest countries in the world, Mozambique, has just 548 doctors for a population of more than 22 million, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO's baseline estimate for achieving health-related MDGs is at least 23 health workers per 10,000 people - against an average of 13 in Africa. IRIN/PlusNews has compiled a list of 10 African countries - in no particular order – that are critically short of skilled personnel:

The country requires 300 percent more health workers because of increased healthcare needs and a reduction in the medical workforce from HIV-related illness or death.


Malawi - With an estimated two doctors for every 100,000 people and a 60 percent vacancy rate for nurses in rural areas, Malawi has turned to “task-shifting” - the use of less qualified health workers. A new cadre of health worker, called a health surveillance assistant (HSA), carries out tasks usually handled by highly trained physicians. In 2007, for example, 95 percent of 625,000 HIV tests were performed by non-medical counsellors.

Treatable illnesses such a malaria and tuberculosis often result in death. Malawi's task-shifting seems to be paying off, but there has been some criticism of the short training period of 10 weeks for HSAs, and suggestions that rigorous selection is being sacrificed in the attempt to meet recruitment targets.



I find this to be really sad because its one of those situations where you wish you could do something to help but there really isn't anything you can do. Malawi is a very populated country and if almost the whole country is sick, then that is just making for a huge disaster.