Reversing Doctors brain drain from Malawi

Just a few years ago, how many of us would have heard that there were more Malawian doctors in Manchester than in Malawi itself? Well, that was the time I was in Manchester too and knew many colleague doctors from Malawi (Dr Njobvu and Dr Kayira ,both paediatricians are still there ).I can now confidently report that there are more doctors in Malawi at the moment , thanks to College of Medicine ,University of Malawi who have now started producing large numbers of locally trained Malawian doctors .Last year alone 38 doctors graduated from the Medical school in Blantyre and by the end of 2009 another 60 doctors are expected to graduate .Most of these doctors are now remaining in Malawi ,as even for specialist training –this is being offered by the college of medicine too. As a record ,for the first time in the University of Malawi history ,in March 2009 ,the first 3 Malawian trained specialist doctors (2 paediatricians ,1 medical physician) graduated from the university and a further 3 are expected to finish their specialisation in September .Very soon we will be having a lot of doctors on the ground .
For those of you who are wondering why there are still very few doctors in the Governments hospital, the answer is this. The missions and private hospitals are absorbing most of the medical graduates due to their better enumeration, but this is no worry as these doctors are serving fellow Malawians than being out of the country And very soon the mission and private hospitals will become flooded and the overflow will extend to the Government hospital, benefiting the most disadvantaged of the Malawians. So we will be having all the specialists in the Government very soon.
Great thanks should go to all the Malawian doctors who have sacrificed to stay in Malawi and teach at College of Medicine.

Aren’t you excited that the Doctors crisis will be over in Malawi soon?

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