Dr Khumbo Kalua

Happy Days in 2012 ????

2012-01-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

Yes I did make it to 2012.

Two years ago I blogged about some of us barely making it into the other year. I felt like this when 1^st January 2012 came in, because 2011 had its own challenges. For once all the plans (some call resolutions) that I had for 2011 were not fulfilled, and that made me disappointed: But sooner than later I realized it was because I had not asked God to plan with me. I planned and then just assumed GOD would help me fulfill them In scientific terms I could say I forgot that all plans have assumptions, and unless those are fulfilled the rest is history. In Christian terms we would like to ask God to reveal what he intends to do with us in the coming here, and try to go that path.

So here I am in 2012, with unfulfilled plans from 2011. I have presented them to GOD and asked to help me become a better and realistic planner.

Believe me the global economic crisis is hitting some of us harder. I did not manage to get a single project or research grant in 2011; and i had to lay off 3 of my already trained research assistants.

This is one of the hardest things I ever imagined Blantyre Institute for Community OphthalmologyBICO would be facing.

This also means less work for blind children i n rural communities in Malawi and less screening for for blind children in schools that are dificulty to reach. Community Ophthalmology collapsing in Malawi in 2012, give me a break!!!!! Unfortunately I do not give up easily.

So when 2012 came in I said to myself this is another year of challenges one, but I will try to turn those challenges into opportunities (easier said than done).

Enjoy 2012.

What are your plans?

Any comment?

Email me at director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

Didn’t celebrate World AIDS day

2011-12-09T07:15:00.000-08:00

I should have blogged about this as I do every year. But I was in Bangkok Thailand and had very little access to internet.

So I just thought about many relatives that I have lost to AIDS including my uncle who died 9 years ago (it feels like yesterday).

30 years later, AIDS is still on the rampage. Now we are talking about stopping the Global fund due to global economic crisis.

Give me a break. When we are busy investing in nuclear weapons , how can we say we do not have the money for ARV’s to help the many African who have the disease.

My theory: if AIDS was more common in Europe funding never have been an issue. As beggars we do not have options but to keep on pleading with them.

Rest in peace all those who have died.

Comment at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

Today I am in Hongkong China

2011-12-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

We are in Hongkong China with Vicki Mak, a doctor friend from New Zealand who I met while she was visiting Malawi. She has a passion to help the blind school in Malawi (see my earlier blog), and has visited the Hongkong society for the blind, where a lot of blind resources can be found. While in Malawi all we talked about was about blind children and Blantyre Institute for community OphthalmologyBICO but today since I have other friend from Malawi who have got nothing to do with blindness, VICKI is taking us to see Hongkong proper.

Well to me Hongong is like heaven, there are many many trees and the terraine in beautiful.There are a lot of people, but they are not cutting trees.

Before I know it is time to go to the airport and take my flight to Malawi; ready to deal with more cases of childhood blindness.

WE agree to keep in touch through email; and she will send the donated school itmes to me to deliver to Ntcheu school for the blind.

A big thank you to Dr VICKI for hosting us: I should have done more for you while you were in Malawi. But I shall revenge.

I wish you all the best as you start up on a new a job in Australia (haven’t been back there for a couple of years now);and I hope to visit you one of these days.

And who knows, you may even go ahead and specialise in Ophthalmology.

My other mentor (apart from Moses Chirambo) was the Australian Professor and Eye surgeon Fred Hollows, who spent a lot of time in Australia dealing with blindness among the aboriginals and rural communities; and who introduced the first lens factory in Eritrea.I believe peole like VICKI have a great potential to go that way.

Blind children from Malawi should know that there are people out there who care for them and are daily trying to do something for them. I am one of them.

Are you conviced they are ?

Contact me at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

The power of Internet in Blindness programs

2011-12-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

When Vicki Mak, a doctor from New Zealand contacted me a few months ago enquiring about accommodation in Blantyre (as she had intended to spend time at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital), honestly I did not pay much attention to her request. Why would anyone have done so anyway, especially that she was going to be in Malawi for general medicine and not even intending to visit my eye department?

Well she must have been in Malawi for closer to eight weeks without my knowledge when I bumped into her at College of Medicine Computer Library: and I don’t remember exactly how it started; but when she mentioned New Zealand I asked her i she was the one who contacted me by email. Of-course she denied at first (she didn’t even remember emailing me), but after reminding her what it was all about, she went into her inbox and indeed found out that we had communicated.

She then asked what i was doing: and as usual I took the opportunity to explain to her about blindness in children and what little is being done in the community to help such children and how people like her may end up helping the programme in Malawi. After watching a video of what Blantyre Institute for community OphthalmologyBICO in Malawi is doing in creating community solutions that will ensure that blind and visual impaired children access sight restoration surgery at an earlier stage, she was hooked to the programme and couldn’t stop thinking about it.

We met several times in my department and discussed about how she could help, and we agreed that she should go and visit a blind school in Ntcheu (big mistake!!!!!).Whe she came back she could not stop thinking about the boys and girls in the blind school, and what she could do to help them. She immediately donated support items directly to the school (worth $2000); and also contacted her parents in Auckland Newzeland who also agreed to donate another $2000.As I write now, Nsialudzu blind school in Nthcheu has new mattresses and a few other things, thanks to VICKI.

We agreed that we should discuss more about how the children can be screened and provided with learning materials and glasses.Where do we meet: Hongkong restraurant in Blantyre and also in Hongkong, China where she was travelling to.

So far we have met in Blantyre and China and good progress has been made.

My hope is that the people in Nthcheu will realise that it is BICO’s effort that have resulted in improvements o their blind school.

Together we can do more.

A big thank you to Dr VICKI: a young girl with a passion to help the less preveleged.

In the picture Vicki:also a blind child from a blind school.

Are you impressed with what internet can do? are you using internet to your benefit or for the benefit of the nation?

Do you want to donate to BICO?

Contact me at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

Hasn’t she grown up?

2011-11-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

That is my daughter Tapiwa?

Hasnt she grown up?

Started tough in life, but she is getting tougher.Like father like daughter.

Born at 7 months weighing only 900 grammes, who can believe who she is today.

If you don’t believe in miracles, Tapiwa is definitely one.

She wants to be an eye doctor.

Got to pick her from school now.

Do you want to comment?

Contact me at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

What a wonderful donation to BICO

2011-11-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

Someone just made my day today.

Would you believe that in 2011 there are still people out there who are concerned with helping the less privileged blind and visually impaired children?

Insia , a UK resident and a grandmother knows how it is to raise two normal children into adulthood. She recalls how she faced many hardships at different times in life (including being told she would be made redundant) but managed to persevere in life. This is why despite not having lived in Africa where many blind and visually impaired cataract children are unfortunate not to attend sight restoration surgery; she clearly understands the difficulties that parents of blind and visual impaired children face. This is why she decided that she was going to be supporting Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology BICO in Malawi in creating community solutions that will ensure that blind and visual impaired children access sight restoration surgery at an earlier stage.

Insia has and will never be rich in cash, but she is very rich in spirit that she gives even a small portion of what most people would consider to be entirely for themselves. Most of us are busy trying to enrich ourselves and take advantage of the many unfortunate.

With Insia’s contribution to BICO, a visually impaired child from a poor family in Jali in Zomba who is struggling to read the blackboard will have a pair of glasses provided by BICO, and have much clearer vision that will make their education easier.Did you know that every Albino child needs glasses to protect them from the sun and yet hardly any in Malawi wear glasses?

Indeed we can make this world a better world. Insia has just made it for someone.

With as little as £20, a secondary school child in Malawi will have a chance to have a nice pair of designer glasses and to see the board clearly for the first time in their life.

Are you impressed?

Do you want to donate?

Contact me at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

2011-10-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

Optometry Studentsfrom University of Waterloo Canada leave Blantyre Malawi

It has been a busy 8 weeks period (August-October 2011) forme and the 4 Canadians students as I had to teach them every day. So I have nottravelled from Blantyre without them since August.

Well a few blind children and adults have benefited fromtheir trip as we saw thousands of patients together.

They came under Blantyre Institute for communityOphthalmologyBICO, and I did like teaching them.

Here are their experiences in Malawi:

Past Student Experiences

“The clinicalexperience in Malawi was absolutely invaluable, and something that we willnever forget. This experience hashelped us foster a deeper and more genuine interest in the need for eye care in developing countries such as Malawi.” – A.Caiger Watson, R. Dupuis, C. Durand, and D. Walker-Optometry Students from Canada Malawi Externship, Fall 2011

For anyquestions about the Malawi Ophthalmology/Optometry externship or rotation,please contact us and we would be happy to answer any of your queries!

dwalker09@hotmail.com

cd_143@hotmail.com

or me(in Malawi)

director@bicomalawi.org

I am happythat they enjoyed their stay.

Want to cometo Malawi and spend some time with me?

Contact me.

Email me!

Donating glasses to visually challenged children in Malawi

2011-09-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

One particular group that I am currently serving is the children who are albinos, as these have a lot of difficulty with their sight.Because of lack of pigment, they do find it hard to cope with the sun and their eye usually water all the time. They also have difficulty seeing.Giving them glasses helps a lot. Here I am presenting a pair of glasses to a pupil at Malosa secondary school in Zomba, Malawi.There are so many albino kids in Malawi who need your help. Blantyre Institute for community OphthalmologyBICO an organization that I direct and which is involved in a lot of eye activities that benefit the albinos from rural communities of Malawi.We currently do not have enough money to help all the children.Do you want to be involved? Then please contact me at khumbokalua@yahoo.com

What do you say? Email me!

News Just in

2011-09-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

I have heard that the high court has allowed peaceful demonstrations to take place in Malawi tomorrow on 21st September. I am very worried for two reasons: fear of my life and fear of my property. I was innocently tear gassed by police on 20th July in Blantyre even though I was not involved in the vigil.3 days later my house was vandalized and my vehicles were broken in.I have no reason to rejoice in any force of strike/vigil as long as people plan to root other people’s property. If you do not see my writing anymore, it may be because I have been injured during the vigil, otherwise you will see me writing about blind children tomorrow (especially that we are told not to come to work).Heard that the street kids have burned the Blantyre Marker? We need to do something about such children otherwise we will continue facing such challenges in Malawi.Blantyre Institute for community OphthalmologyBICO an organization that I direct and which is involved in a lot of eye activities that benefit the rural communities of Malawi will be prepared to ADD IN streets kids in its programme. But we need to get funding for them.Do you know of anywhere we could apply for funding? Then please advise me.What do you say? Email me!

YOU ASK WE ANSWER

2011-09-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

WE ARE THE EXPERTS IN COMMUNITY EYE HEALTH

Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology BICO was founded in Blantyre Malawi in the year 2008 with the mission of contributing to the prevention and control of blindness in Malawi and neighbouring countries in the Southern part of Africa through conducting practical research, teaching, training, consultancy and advocacy in eye care delivery.
The idea to start the institute was conceptualized after realizing that despite nearly 10 years after the launch of the VISION 2020: the Right to Sight; the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness and the various achievements in many areas of the world; the southern part of Africa has still not made much progress especially in the area of research on effective community eye care programmes.
The centre aims to coordinate research being carried out eye care professionals in Malawi and transfer the best of its expertise and experience to an ever-increasing number of eye care institutes across Southern Africa The centre is strategically located within the University Of Malawi College Of Medicine teaching eye hospital, the Lions Sight first eye hospital in Blantyre.
The centre has helped in restoring sight to thousands of Malawians.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

You can help by sponsoring a sight restoration eye camp to be done within the community in Malawi.

You can Fund health services research to improve eye services for children?

You can help by sponsoring a midlevel personnel officer to undergo one year ophthalmology training which includes.

You can help by donating cash as little as you can.

You can help by sponsoring a doctor to specialise in ophthalmology (four years course).
Support training of Ophthalmologist Training of nurses in community eye health

Email BICO!

director@bicomalawi.org or bico@bicomalawi.org

Helping Others

2011-09-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Believe me or not; no matter how much you have you don’t get full satisfaction until you start helping others. This is why apart from being an eye doctor, and helping many close relatives, I continue doing charity work through Lions Club of Limbe, which is part of Lions Club International.
My involvement in the club has made me become a better person.
I need to be helped myself in a lot of ways (both financially and non financially) but I also help a lot of others.
Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology BICO an organization that I direct is involved in a lot of eye activities that benefit the rural communities of Malawi at no cost to them.
Due to global economic crisis BICO has been facing several challenges including difficulties in fund raising. But we are still doing some work, and are always looking for well wishers who can help us implement programmes.
Do you know of anywhere we could apply for funding? Then please advise us.
What do you say?
Email me!

Slowly getting back to normal life

2011-09-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

It’s been hard for my family and me for the last few weeks such that I have not been on the net.
You see after we were terrorized on 25th July 2011 (had my property and vehicle destroyed by robbers), my family has not been the same.
We are still having nightmares.
But I would like to thank all the good people who have been supporting us, and who have made our life much easier.
Imagine just yesterday an unknown retired gentleman from Germany who saw the story on my blog site promised to give me Euro 50; and he is already asking for my bank details.
Yes a few people want to destroy, root; but there are also a lot of good people who are there when you need them.
I have resumed my work at the eye hospital and I am still seeing a lot of blind children.
Today I operated on this lady from Nsanje who was completely blind and i am happy that I have made a change to her life.

I will post a few pictures as soon as am settled.

What do you say?
Email me!

Tough times for blind children

2011-08-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

Am asked: are you Coping?
And i answer:

Pretty tough!!!

That probably describes everything that my family has been through over the last two weeks.
Why us? It’s a million dollar question.

But we are coping.sleepless nights are become the norm.

Malawi is gradually turning into another monster: God forbid lets hope things change for the better.
I have not been to the field to help blind children such as the one in the pciture with congenital cataract:congenital cataract is treatable and children can regain their sight after an operation
so why have i not been going to fetch for theM?
guess what I do not have a vehicle and also there is no fuel. My vehicle was vandalised during the robbery that took place at my residence.

Today will mark 3 weeks since I last visited the community.AS a community Eye Specialist this is quiet a long time for me.

Am still looking for resources outside Malawi who may come in and help find blindness in Malawi: because i honestly do not know what will happen to the many who are needlessly blind.

Shocked that things are this bad. Me too!!!

But what can we do?
Email me!

Thieves at my house in Blantyre Malawi

2011-07-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Its one of the saddest day of my life.
Did I deserve this for helping blind children from my won country? Is this a plan to force my family to leave Malawi.First my Investiments gone, nopw my property gone. So how can i continue working for the community when all the cars are damaged.Forgive those who have done this as they do not know their deeds.

Just want to inform you that around Monday midnight (25 July) a group of thieves (about 15 in total) came to our house in Blantyre, Malawi ,ransacked and broke the brick wall fence; broke all windows of the house and the doors , went in the house and store almost everything they could get hold of in the house.I mean literally evrything :phones,television,radios,blankets,clothing,plates.

In addition they also broke into the cars, breaking the windscreens and side mirrors and taking radios from the cars. The police came 45 minutes later but by that time the thieves had gone. Lucky enough, only 3 people were hurt, the guard, garden boy and my broother -but the rest of the family are ok , in shock.

It will take time to recover from this experience.See how my face looks.I am remembering my village in Mtwalo Mzimba, where theft rarely happens.all I ca say is that God help us and this can better be said in my language:

"A chiuta mutovwire waka"

This is Malawi in 2011.

Shocked. Me too!!!

How can you help?

But what can we do?

Email me!

Washington DC

2011-07-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

This place has been very hot for the last few days.
Well you have to stay in door all day.
Managed though to visit the capitol, white house, pentagon and a bit of other places.
I am at Connecticut avenue presenting the issue of blind children in Malawi. Rumours say my presentation was not too bad and we maybe in for another project.
The heat wave here resembles the heat in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts is southern Malawi and also other areas along the lakeshore road (Salima , Nkhotoakota).
Can stay I have enjoyed my stay this time.
But the US governments need to be thanked for their initiatives to fight blindness in Malawi through BICO.
See the picture of a Malawi blind child who may benefit from this project.
You want to support/comment?
Email me!

Invest in Malawi: Get out of here

2011-07-15T01:47:00.000-07:00

Why would an eye doctor like myself want to invest in my own country. Well its because I know sooner than later I need to retire from this community work and spend sometime with my daughter Tapiwa.
So where would one invest in Malawi? For now I will say nowhere because I have just lost USD10,000 due to the collapse of a financial institutions.
You see I was keeping my money with “Trust Securities” a Reserve Bank regulated financial institution and I thought my money was growing every day.
I have just been told every penny I invested was chewed; and that I cannot be compensated in any way.
The money was meant to be my initial deposit for buying a house: now got nothing.
With no forex, no fuel; I am wondering whether it’s still worth staying in Malawi. I may leave if opportunity strikes at the right time.
Meanwhile I am stuck here? Have you noted that I cannot even go and help blind patients in the community because there is no fuel.
Been here for a while, but have never seen Malawi like this.
I rest my case.
Email me!

Where and what have I been up to?

2011-07-15T01:41:00.000-07:00

At the US embassy while processing for my VISA to Washington; I was asked where-else I have been.
Well guess what I have been to every corner of Malawi but they wanted me to state where I have been.
Here I go (hopefully I remember all countries).
Malawi, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda ,Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Egypt, India, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland. Most of these within the last 5 years and more than once.
And how could I have forgotten about England? Been there more than all these other countries combined.
And was I doing there? Of-course Medicine, but mostly community Ophthalmology: presenting my work from Nsanje Inland port in Malawi.
I was then told that unless one has been to Nigeria, they have not travelled. Though I had, but was once again proved wrong.
So guess where my next trip will be after I return from Washington?
And where have you been?
Email me!

Warning

2011-07-01T12:43:00.001-07:00

I am told unless I change my writing style, things are bound to remain worse for me especially that I work for the same government which I am castigating. When did I do that?
I remain an eye doctor regardless of which political party is in power in Malawi. I am not affiliated to any party. You will be surprised that I have never voted for a Member of Parliament or president in my life. every time elections are being conducted I miss them because I am out of Malawi.
But regardless o who is in power my work continues. I want to help the young blind and visually impaired children who do not care about politics (I also don’t).So till them I remain a dedicated community worker. MP’s gets paid a fortune, but I am content with the little I have.
I rest my case again.
Email me!

No politics but facts

2011-07-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

It’s a fact: No diesel, Petrol and Paraffin (DPP) in my beloved country Malawi for a few week now.No politics
In a few days I have a trip to Washington but the bank will not give me forex.
What has gone wrong?
When you speak, you are labeled to be either in the opposition or Northener.
Due to lack of fuel we have stopped conducting community outreach clinics in Malawi.
The situation does not seen to be improving.
I rest my case.
Email me!

Blogger sphere in Washington

2011-07-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

Wish could blog more; but maturity has finally caught up with me here in Malawi. Imagine I am always up and down, but can report any more. Today I was at the American embassy in Lilongwe processing a VISA to the USA, and I need to sit down and prepare for the presentation that I need to give to a much bigger audience in Washington. And then I will proceed to London, UK for a stopover .I miss London, haven’t being there for a while. But I cant afford to stay longer, because end July I have trachoma trainings in Chikwawa and Mchinji ) that is in Malawi).And of course my teaching at College of Medicine.24 hours per day isn’t enough; is this a sign of old age.
Yesterday at the USA embassy during the interview I was asked where else I have been; instead of being asked where I have not been. I have to think of where I can not been; especially in Europe as I seem to have travelled to all places that matter such as Berlin and Dresden. Well this next weeks trip will be my 100th international trip; and its good am going to Washington DC.
Impressed that I have seen a bit of the world? (infact all continents).all this in the name of eye care; more specifically community Ophthalmology.
This time I am travelling under my organsisation-BICO.
You been to Washington?
Then tel me what I should expect .
Email me!

Where to stay when Visiting Blantyre Malawi :Vickys guesthouse

2011-06-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Are you worried of where you will stay when you are in Blantyre Malawi?

Or are you planning to visit Blantyre and you intend to stay at a good but very comfortable cheap place but you do not know where? Is your budget is less than USD 50 /£35 per night (K7000.00).

Well do not worry. We have a solution for you. Having lived/visited where you are from, we know what your preferences are and what your money is worth. We will host you in our comfortable guest house.

All our rooms are fully ensuite; we have a dining and sitting room with Television and also a self catering kitchen for you to have a meal anytime you feel like.
So try us. We can even organize a vehicle for you or your visitor.

email me to get our pictures.

Impressed? Then vickysguesthouse@yahoo.com is the place to stay at.

Email me!

Cheap nice accommodation in Blantyre Malawi-Vickys Guest House

2011-06-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Cheap nice accommodation in Blantyre Malawi-Vickys Guest House.

You are planning to visit Blantyre and you intend to stay at a good but very comfortable place but you do not know where. Once thing you are sure is that your budget is less than USD 50 /£35 per night- MK7000.00. So you are obviously out of those famous expensive hotels in Blantyre.Well do not worry. We have a solution for you. Having lived/visited where you are from, we know what your preferences are and what your money is worth. We will host you in our comfortable guest house like you are a princess, and your pocket will still be full by the time you live.
We will provide you with a full house. All our rooms are fully ensuite; we have a dining and sitting room with Television and also a self catering kitchen for you to have a meal anytime you feel like. We have the ideal environment for that quiet business minded persons and also for those who like to relax.
We guarantee that if you are not happy with our accommodation at the prize we offer, we will pay you half the money you paid if you find a better place at the same rate.
We are in Moneymen: only 10 minutes from the centre of the town and 15 minutes from the famous Game/Shoprite shopping complex.
So try us. We can even organize a vehicle for you.
Want to see our rooms and other pictures before coming? you must email me.

Impressed? Then find me kkalua@medcol.mw
Email me!

Eye Research in Malawi

2011-05-18T02:13:00.000-07:00

Well I wish I could write more about eye research in Malawi but I do seem to be having much time to blog. But we are doing white good in this area: several studies are taken place at this time and BICO-Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology is coordinating most of these.
We are exploring further collaborations with Australia and Netherlands.
BICO’s link with University of Waterloo school of optometry still stands, and we expect a group of visitors during next few months.
Being in Malawi now, I get time to spend with my lovely wife and our daughter who will be turning five in next few weeks.
I am not complaining.

What about you?
Email me!

Travelled again after a while

2011-04-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

We are attending the Trachoma meeting in Geneva Switzerland. A lot of African colleagues are here. From Malawi it’s only two of us.
The weather is nice but honestly I am missing Malawi. This country is too rich for me. Am paying USD 160 per night for a single room. As the saying goes once you are poor, you become poor in mind too. All am thinking is about Nsanje where in Malawi where people live below a dollar a day 8this is bound to change after the famous port opens). Boats on Lake Geneva remind me of the Shire River: can wait when the ships will start sailing. I support development which is good for the country.
We are here for a few more days.
To find find/lean a bit about my other work in Malawi as an Ophthalmologist(Eye Doctor) click here at Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology .
No pictures this time.
Email me!

Mzimba Secondary school alumni memories

2011-03-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

Twenty seven years ago(1984) I was selected from St Peters primary school in Mzuzu to join mzimba secondary school as a form 1 student. Little did I know what that meant and what the future had for me. I arrive at the school and I am welcomed by my cousin (late Billy Nyirenda) and I am told I will be sleeping at Nyika Hostel BOX 1.At night, unknown men come to tease(bit and mock us) and at 3 am we are awakening to clean up the toilets. Crying every day for a year.
Later in 1988 I finish form 4 (high school) and I am selected to go to chancellor college University of Malawi . A few years later I am studying in Adelaide Australia , then college of medicine Blantyre, Univeristy of Nairobi, University of London and finally University of London.
This weekend (26th March 2011)I will be going back to Mzimba secondary school with other students who have passed through that school to refresh memories dating back to almost 3 decades and give a career talk to the students that are currently there. My wife and two sisters all also passed though the same school and so we will be going as a family.
Well I want to stop blogging but with life changing results as this one who would not want to talk about it.
A big thank you to all my teachers at Mzimba. Here I am as a community eye doctor in rural Malawi, yet when I left Mzimba I thought I would never be affiliated with the community (regarded as remote) again.
I have recalled my earlier pictures at Mzimba taken in 1986. I can’t even tell which one is me.Contrast with first picture -how i look now in a suit and glasses.Those were the good old days in Mzimba.I wouldnt have made it on my own-the secret is that God has been on my side all the time.i am not sure why i have been prevedged.

Thank you to all the gents and ladies who decided to have an alumni –you’ve made my day.You can check mzimba secondary school alumni association on the facebook .

To find find/lean a bit about my work in Malawi as an Ophthalmologist(Eye Doctor) click here at Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology .

Got to go will be travelling later during the day.

What do you say?
Email me!

Finally On my way to Malawi

2011-02-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

Just finished sending all my stuff to Malawi .I will leaving London tomorrow (for Good) .I am looking to be back in Malawi for a longer time (despite all the problems that we hear about Malawi) .The weather in London has not been that bad during this time. I week from now I will be in Blantyre and will probably have forgotten about the stay in London (Hounslow and the Piccadilly line).On Easter I will be going to see my mum in Ezondweni Mtwalo Mzimba .
While in Malawi I will be in Blantyre at Lions Sight First Eye Hospital known as Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology BICO
BICO will continue doing practical research that can guide Policy.
This means I am also changing my email. From now onwards you should Email me!

Growing up and moving on in 2011

2011-02-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

My daughter will be turning five in a couple of months. Having been born in the UK, she reminds me of how long I have been blogging about her miracle life (remember Tapiwa was born as a premature baby and her size was same as loaf of bread).I have been writing about blindness and what we are doing in Malawi while in the UK . I have seen her grow and now she refuses to be called a baby. This has made me realize that I must have grown so old in those 5 years.
Having said in my profile that I have been at different Universities as a student for 23 years (since 1988) some people have counseled me to seriously consider giving up as a student and move on (some people call it graduating). Having looked at all options and advice, I have now made a decision to move on with my life (beyond being a student) to see something else in life.
This means over the next few months my ties/links with London school of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will be decreasing and eventually it will be cut. I will now take up a role as a lecturer at College of Medicine in Blantyre Malawi where I am expected to teach other people to take over my post/job within the next few years.
While in Malawi I will dedicate a bit of time to fighting blindness in children in different communities in Malawi (I have done a whole PhD on how to do this) and with the organization that I will mostly be associated with at Lions Sight First Eye Hospital known as Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology BICO I believe Malawi will move somewhere towards the fight against blindness. BICO will continue doing practical research that can guide Policy.
This means I am also changing my email. From now onwards you should Email me! from BICO website.
This is probably the last blog from 3rd Floor Keppel street London where London School Of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is. If Time allows in future I will be back in London Otherwise for now the Diaspora is over am going back to Malawi for good.
Watch over BICO website for blindness news from Malawi.
From now onwards I will be blogging less but posting more articles on BICO website.
Did you know that a child somewhere gets blind “every 5 minutes” and that most of the blind children live mainly in poor Sub-Saharan countries like Malawi?
Aren’t you surprised that I have decided to give up “bread and butter” in London for bread crumbs in Malawi.
Ask me why
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Another birthday

2011-02-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

Last week I celebrated another birthday.
We went out to TJ restaurant in Blantyre.
I have gained lots of weight since last year .My daughter is also growing everyday.
My wife is working hard as usual.I am now travelling less.
I am also writing less and less as most articles are now being posted on the
BICO website which is our official website.
We continue doing lots of research in Malawi about blindness in children and adults.
Have you checked the website?

Any comment?

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BICO projects and progress Reports for 2010

2011-01-24T02:18:00.000-08:00

BICO was set up in 2008 at Lions Sight First Eye Hospital with the aim of contributing to the prevention of blindness in Malawi and Southern Africa and the achievement of global VISION2020.
With various supporting and funding partners, BICO implemented the following research projects and activities in 2010.
1. African Health sciences Research institute (AHSI project): Funded by Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) 2010-2012
Task shifting in Eastern & Southern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania & Malawi): Assessing the productivity and quality of eye care services to assist in decision making.
A shortage of skilled health workers is one constraint to better health care in sub-Saharan Africa. For many years, to cope with this shortage, African governments and other providers have practiced “task shifting,” i.e. allocating health care roles and procedures to less specialized health workers.
However, little is known about the strengths and weakness of this strategy, about the productivity and quality of services provided, or the retention and satisfaction of the personnel involved.
The main objective of this study is to critically examine the impact on eye care of task shifting to primary and mid level personnel, including productivity and attrition, and on the quality and equity of eye care services that they provide (including visual outcome and patient satisfaction) in eastern Africa.
Information generated from this project, including the role of knowledge and knowledge systems will have relevance beyond the provision of eye care. Lessons learned can be translated to the provision of other health services in Africa.
Activities for Malawi
The CO PI for the entire study and the PI Malawi is Dr Khumbo Kalua, a well known public Health Ophthalmologist Researcher who is attached to the London School of hygiene and Tropical medicine for his PhD.
A full time Research Assistant is employed for daily coordination of this project which is one of the projects being coordinated under BICO from Lions Sight First Eye hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
The targeted districts are Mulanje and Machinga Districts. After baseline survey in both Mulanje and Machinga, Mulanje will have an enhanced additional supervision among its primary eye care workers and the results will be compared with Machinga who will not offer enhanced supervision for a period of 2 years.
The first half of year 1 of the project has gone well as described from activities below.
Dr Kalua visited KCCO in March 2010 to finalize the logistics for the project.
Briefing of the District Management teams for Both Mulanje and Machinga was completed by July 2010.
In August and September 2010 training of Ophthalmic Clinical Officers (who will offer enhanced supervision) from the two districts was done at BICO headquarters, Lions Sight First Eye Hospital.

Field work commenced on 13th September and detailed activities about the programme are discussed below.
Visit to Mulanje for commencement of Task Shifting Project
Baseline data collection
It was the 13th day of the month of September, 2010 when filed work for the Task Shifting Project officials commenced in Mulanje, Southern Malawi . Mulanje District has 23 health centres.
On this day, we managed to collect data from two Health Centers; Chisitu and Chonde. Chisitu is just about 14 kilometers form Mulanje district hospital and is just a few meters from the improved tarred road. We decided to use Chisitu as a sample, as such the data collected at this Health Center will not be part of the research but the data collected at Chonde Health Center will be used in the research.
We arrived at Chisitu Health Center at about 10.45 am and managed to interview two people; a nurse and patient attendant. We could not interview the Medical Assistant because the Health Centre had none. It was impressive to see a nurse at Chisitu Health Centre who graduated in the year 1978 to still be able to remember what she learnt in college about eye care. She answered well most the questions that were prepared for the interview as regards to eye care. We also interviewed the patient attendant at Chisitu Health Centre who admitted to be attending to eye patients but whose knowledge of primary eye care was not good. We left Chisitu at about 11.30 in the morning and went to Chonde Health Centre.
Chonde Health Center is about 24 kilometers from Mulanje district hospital and is connected with an improved tarred road. The health center has a catchment population of about 42,023. At Chonde health centre we interviewed 8 people. Of the eight, one was a Clinical Officer, one Medical Assistant, two Nurses and four Hospital attendants.
Third visit to Mulanje: Continuation of Baseline data collection
On the 14th of September, 2010, we went back to Mulanje to continue with the activity of interviewing health workers in the health centers. The first health that we visited on this day is Muloza. Muloza health center is near the border between Malawi and Mozambique and is located about 35 kilometers from Mulanje district hospital. This health centre has a catchment population of about 41,089. The health center has one medical assistant, one nurse and five hospital attendants. We managed to interview the medical assistant, the nurse and four attendants. From Muloza we went to Mimosa health centre where we could not find the nurse and not even the hospital attendant. We agreed that we should visit the health centre again someday.
We left Mimosa health center and drove to Lujeri Health center which is about 25 km from the district hospital. We arrived at Lujeri health center at about 1.30 pm. Lujeri health center has a catchment population of about 41000 and is in Lujeri tea estate. At Lujeri we interviewed six people; one medical assistant, one nurse and four attendants.
First visit to Machinga District for Task shifting baseline data collection
As planned on the 14th of September, 2010, baseline data collection started in Machinga district. We met the District Medical Officer and briefed him about the project. After briefing the DMO, we left for Mlomba health center.
Mlomba health center is located about 30 kilometers from the district hospital is connected with a tarred road. We arrived at this health center at about 10.47 in the morning. The health has one Medical assistant and one attendant. We could not find the Medical assistant so we only interviewed the attendant. We left Mlomba health center at around 11.34 in the morning for Nsanama health center.
Nsanama health center is located about 42 kilometers from the district hospital and is connected with a tarred road. At Nsanama health center we interviewed eight people; 1 Clinical officer, six nurses and one attendant.
Commencement of Enhanced supervision in Mulanje
This started in October 2010 and has been going well.
Other activities for AHSI research
Questionnaires were sent to all Trachoma and cataract surgeons in Malawi and 93% of all trichiasis and 100% of cataract surgeons have responded.
2. Phalombe children’s Eye care project
Funded through Lions Club of Limbe by Lions Club of Perugia Italy; coordinated by BICO
The program aims to screen children with cataract, refractive errors and other treatable conditions and provide glasses to school children that have visual problems and require glasses in Phalombe district. The programme uses the key informant method and other methods to identify these children. The programme is implemented by BICO in conjunction with Lions Club of Limbe. This programme is an extension of the Childhood Blindness Project at Lions Sight First Eye Hospital that was carried out as part of the PhD research for the director of BICO (Dr Kalua).
The Phalombe children’s project has been a great success.
Over 600 children in Phalombe have been screened and over 30 have received eye glasses and 10 have been diagnosed with cataract and have benefited from surgery. The Lions Club of Limbe have renovated/painted a resource centre for the blind, and donated beds, mattresses and mosquito nets all through the funding obtained from Perugia.
So far 4 screenings have been conducted.
The project is expected to wind up in March 2010.

3. Visit of Lecturers and Optometry students at BICO from University of Waterloo
Two Optometry students from University of Waterloo Canada visited BICO for 8 weeks between August and October 2010 for an elective training programme in clinical and community Ophthalmology. They participated in the children’s screening programmes in Phalombe District .Following their successful visit 7 more students from university of Waterloo have requested for a VISIT in 2011.Dr Kalua is an honorary lecturer for the University.
Dr Dan Hayhoe from Future VISION Ministries visited BICO in August 2010 and Dr Kalua was asked to be a board member of FVM project in Malawi.
4. Launching of the BICO Website
2010 marked a history among the activities of BICO in that a website was launched in October 2011.
The website can be viewed at http://www.bicomalawi.org. This website is a rich source of information about BICO and the research projects that are undertaken by BICO. It also has links to other sites like KCCO etc.
5. Receive of Award of A2Z for global base knowledge research in childhood blindness
In august 2010 BICO was notified of the award from A2Z (USAID) for the childhood blindness project in Zomba, Balaka and Machinga. The project is jointly being carried with International Eye Foundation (USA) and will be completed by July 2011.The project aims to collect data that will increase global base knowledge from the community of why approximately than 50% of children who have been diagnosed with cataract and counseled to come to LIONS hospital for surgery do not still come despite been offered transport incentives .All children that were identified from KI screenings to have cataract and did or did not report will be tracked back in the community and their parents and community will be interviewed qualitatively.
6. Ongoing Childhood Blindness project in Balaka and Machinga
The KI and HSA’s trainings initiated by BICO in 2008 have continued in Balaka and Machinga, but this time supported through KCCO from SEVA Canada and LIONS International. BICO continues to give technical input to the project and update training materials for the KI.
8. Co-authoring of the KI manual for Africa
Together with KCCO, BICO has co authored the Key informant Training Manual for Africa which is currently in place and ready to come out in 2011.
7. Situational analysis of Eye services in the South East Zone
BICO conducted this survey in 6 districts on behalf of Lions Aid Norway –who have built an eye hospital in Zomba and are supporting eye services in two zones in Malawi (North and South east) North Zone
8. RAAB survey in South West Zone
BICO conducted on behalf of Sight Savers a RAAB survey for services in south West zone of Malawi (7 districts).The survey was coordinated by London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine.
8. BICO’s International meetings/visits/presentations/publications
1. KCCO, Tanzania
Gender and Eye Health workshop March 2010
AHSI/Task shifting planning Meeting March 2010
2. Global Elimination for Blinding Trachoma 2020 in Geneva
April 2010
3. International Centre for Eye Health London, London
May 2010, August 2010, Nov-Dec 2010
4. World congress of Ophthalmology, Berlin, Germany
June 2010
5. World Retinoblastoma meeting Kenya
September 2010
6. Results of Malawi Trachoma Prevalence survey published in “Plos One Journal”

What are your plans for 2011? what did you do in 2010?
Any comment?
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Happy snowy Christmas 2010 from London Heathrow.

2010-12-18T16:14:00.000-08:00

Yes it’s 18th December 2010 and I am not in the Himalayas or Russia. This is right here in London where it has snowed cats and dogs such that flights including mine to Dubai have been cancelled. Was supposed to meet my family tomorrow, but it’s all history now. You see London Heathrow Airport is closed due to the heavy snow that has fallen.

I took it as fun at first, only to reliase all the flights have been canceled.
Well today no issues of Malawi and blind children (tired coz this is all what I have been writing up during the last few weeks).

Have you experience snow?
Denis has taken a few god photos, and being a permanent UK resident he seems to know how to dress for the snow.
For the time being I wait for the flights to resume.

Have a snowy Christmas if you are in Europe.

Can’t wait to get to Malawi where its very warm!

Any comment?
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Snow Snow Snow in London

2010-12-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

The weather in UK and the feelings I am experiencing while here reminds me of the president of Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe the life president of Zimbabwe at one point when he was being banned from passing through UK (as part of the sanctions) by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair said this to counteract the ban: Well which African would want to stay in the UK as cold as it is. For once I agree with him .I have been asking myself what I am doing in London being subjected to a whole week of snow? Is this what global warming is all about?

Wish I was in Malawi, where its currently the rainy warm season.

But I have to finish the write up (about blind children and my work in Malawi) even though it’s taking much longer than I anticipated.

Look at the window and the cars .it’s all frozen

Cant wait to get back to Malawi.

Snow! Snow! Snow!

What do you say?

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Another 2010 World AIDS day is here.

2010-12-01T14:02:00.000-08:00

I am in UK and today it has been snowing heavily such that it has affected my plans to remember all those who have passed away due to HIV/AIDS.

Some recent reported good news indicate that HIV/AIDS is on the decline, but I haven’t seen much evidence from Malawi.

Rest in peace all those who have been affected and have died

I gotta go, I am freezing. Seen snow like this before?

What do you say?

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BICO website

2010-11-24T06:18:00.000-08:00

Blantyre Institute For community Ophthalmology (BICO) website has got all the information that you need to know about eye services in Malawi.

Have you checked the BICO website recently ? its getting better and better.

Any comment on it? here it is , just click on BICO below and it will take you to the site.

BICO

Promoting excellence in Community Eye Health.

Did you know that i am the research Director?

Did you know that your help is needed? Find out how.

What do you say?
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Celebrating the life of Prof Moses Chirambo

2010-11-24T05:59:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the life of Prof Moses Chirambo
Prof Moses Chirambo sadly died on 14th August 2010 after having worked as an Ophthalmologist in Malawi for over 35 years.
But who was Chirambo?
Moses Chirambo born in 1939 came from the Northern Region of Malawi (Rumphi District) where he did his earlier education before going to Canada where he did medical degree. He eventually graduated as an Ophthalmologist from Hadassah Hebrew University in Jerusalem - Israel in 1972 under Professor Michaelson who noted that he would have a bright future.He spoke fluent Hebrew.Having returned to Malawi in 1973 he was the first Malawian Ophthalmologist, and he quickly made his name as a well known public health Ophthalmologist in the International ophthalmology sector.
In 1983, he established the Southern Africa Development corporation (SADC) school of Ophthalmology in Lilongwe, Malawi supported by Sight Savers International; this school has trained over 500 clinical officers and cataract surgeons (midlevel eye personnel) from all over SADC countries and beyond; and now several countries including Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia have started their own training programmes
In 1995, Chirambo got an International ward from the American Academy and IAPB for his fight in blindness; and continued to get several awards (too many to mention). He was a Regional advisor for Sight Savers International for a long time.
Between 1983 and 1987, Dr Chirambo and the team of International experts in ophthalmology conducted the first population based childhood blindness survey on vitamin A & Xerophthalmia studies in Africa and trachoma studies in the Lower Shire.
From only one mission eye hospital (NKHOMA) when Chirambo started Ophthalmologist, he managed to convince donors and supporting partners to build four additional eye hospital , initially one in each region (Blantyre , Lilongwe & Mzuzu) and then an additional one in Zomba.
Chirambo loved his country –despite having many opportunities he never left Malawi to work outside.
Chirambo was also not tribalistic and regionalist and did not have nepotistic ideas. In terms of eye care the central and the southern regions were markedly developed with infrastructure despite that he came from the Northern region, and it was only in 2007 that he negotiated for the hospital in Mzuzu.
There aren’t many doctors who have made much impact to the welfare of many poor residents in Malawi. The seeds he sowed (among the new ophthalmologists) are likely to go a long way as far as eye care is concerned in Malawi.
Dr Chirambo actively retired from Ophthalmology in 2008 when he was appointed Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Malawi.
Dr Chirambo actively retired from Ophthalmology in 2008 to pursue a career in politics (for the past 10 years he told me not to be involved in politics, so i do not believe he wanted to do this ) Nevertheless he was appointed Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Malawi in 2009 but sadly died before his political career could be assessed..
more Information Chirambo
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Zomba Central Hospital has a new eye wing

2010-11-24T05:21:00.001-08:00

The opening of the newest Lions Sight First eye hospital in Zomba in September 2010 Malawi has seen Malawi have a total of five dedicate eye hospitals.
The hospital is a modern facility built by the Lions Club of Norway in collaboration with Lions Club of Zomba.
BICO has helped in training 6 nurses that have seen been deployed to the eye department.
Well done Zomba Central hospital for your new entry.
What do you say?
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Phalombe children's project update

2010-11-24T05:19:00.000-08:00

Over 500 children have been screened for refractive errors in Phalombe district and a substantial number have received free eye glasses.
In addition Nazombe School for the blind in Phalombe benefited from the BICO-Lions initiative through donation of 10 beds, 10 mattresses and 15 mosquito nets to the school. The school has 15 full time visually impaired children who are accommodate at the school.
The Phalombe children project has been funded by the Lions Club of Perugia Italy (sponsor) through Lions Club of Limbe, Malawi (host) and is being implemented by Lions club of Limbe in collaboration with BICO. The Lions Club of Limbe have not only helped in identifying blind and visual impaired children from Phalombe and referring them to Blantyre, but have also donated items to all children admitted at the Lions Eye Hospital in Blantyre
BICO would like to thank the Lions Club of Perugia and Lions Club of Limbe for making this project a great success.
Special thanks should go to the Paediatric ophthalmologists who is also the head of the Lions Eye Unit in Blantyre for agreeing to operate on these children.
The children can now see.
BICO will continue looking for partners that can help blind and visual impaired children in other Malawian districts.
What do you say?
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BICO celebrates the graduation of two Malawian Ophthalmologists

2010-11-24T05:18:00.000-08:00

Dr Petros Kayange and Dr Tamara Chirambo are the first Malawian Ophthalmologists doctors to graduate locally from College of Medicine; University of Malawi .They will be awarded a masters of medicine (M.Med) in Ophthalmology in 2011. The two doctors were enrolled in the programme in 2006 and have completed their minimum four year.
During their course they had exposure to research being conducted by Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology, and were supervised by the Research director for BICO for their masters thesis.
BICO is proud to have been involved in capacity building in eye care in Malawi, through training of Ophthalmologists, nurses, ophthalmic clinical officer and Community health workers .
Congratulations to our new graduates.
What do you say?
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Hot,very hot in Blantyre

2010-11-13T05:16:00.000-08:00

Today its one of the hottest days in blantyre.am sitting outside my house in baluti but a very hot breeze is coming.who said doctors should be able to afford air conditioning? They were right because i cant afford.it hasnt rained yet

Ophthalmology in Malawi

2010-11-13T03:07:00.000-08:00

It is harder to talk about ophthalmology in malawi and omit Dr Chirambo's name.but the fact is that he is gone and has left us with very high expectations.Chirambo groomed the 3 of us into different subspecialisation areas of ophthalmogy;myself now a public health ophthalmologist,my boss a paediatric ophthalmologist and the pastor,now a vitreoretinal surgeon.we have also increased the number of general ophthalmologist to 5.the fact is that Chirambo paved the way for us,and we have to follow his footsteps.i used to wonder why he used to be in the office by 7.00am everymorning,but now i am doing the same thing.its called responsibilty

BIC0 website finaly here

2010-11-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

After struggling with ICT for over a year,everything has started unfolding.just two years after Blantyre institute for community ophthalmogy (BIC0)was formed , a website has been launced.are you ready for surprizes?check
www.bicomalawi.org

Congratulations to BIC0 for commitment
Watch for more action on site.

Hotel Azur (hotel Africa) is the worst hotel in Yaounde Cameroun

2010-11-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

If u plan to visit Yaounde in Cameroun,dont make a mistake of staying at Hotel Azur.this is a useless hotel,staff have no moners and your valuables are likely to be stolen and the management will not be responsible.the rooms are messy,there is no hot water and the taps are mostly dry.security wise u have a risk of being mugged.as what happened to me?am still trying to recover.because of this experience i will not be going back to Cameruon.

graduating doctors

2010-11-13T00:22:00.000-08:00

I must have forgotten to mention that the two doctors qualified as the first malawian eye specialists trained in malawi.this has increased the number .held of the plans to have a top surgical facility in Zomba?

missing in action

2010-11-11T23:22:00.000-08:00

Have been overwhelmed with work.had bad experience while travelling in cameroun.will have to blog more later

Malawian Doctors reluctant to go for Post graduate specialization studies in Ophthalmology at College of Medicine?.

2010-09-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

I recently had a chart with some doctors who graduated recently from College of Medicine ,University of Malawi and they indicated that it is us the old doctors who are suppressing them from progressing with the careers in that we do not fight much for them and demand that they go for more specialized studies .They think having got a first medical degree they should be driving porch cars and leaving in low density areas with swimming pool, blah , blah , blah. I still do not have either of the two .
Having completed the first medical degree, most graduates expect things to be put on a silver platter from then onwards but this is rarer the case .Ask them about doing postgraduate studies to specialize in Ophthalmology , and they are not interested .
Post graduate studies these days are a must in the medical field if one wants to make a successfully career.
For example for the last 8 years I have been busy conducting community eye programmes, but none of the young doctors have approach me to know about the career and the benefits and no one is interested in following my footsteps . So why should be they saying we are suppressing them when we do not have anyone to handle the responsibilities to. I have no intention of going on for the 3rd term in community Ophthalmology but circumstances will force me to do so. BY now another Malawian doctor should have been graduating yet there is one in training ? I have two scholarships in Ophthalmology with me yet no candidate is coming forward .Is is because they see me driving a debilitated 3rd hand used motor vehicle and staying in substandard high density Baluti Area in Blantyre ? I am tempted to this so .Well I still love my car .
All in all Ophthalmology is not marketable in Malawi (but also in most parts of Africa) because young doctors believe it does not pay well as a career. Much as financial incentives are important , many other non monetory incentives can lead to job satisfaction in Ophthalmology.
It takes four years to train as an ophthalmologist at College of Medicine in Malawi once you have qualified as a general doctor , and most doctors feel this is too long But its not!
Having been at University for almost 2 decades as a student (I was in 1st year University in 1988, but now I am in final year Research PhD after having done 4 years of Ophthalmology then Masters in public health ) I do not regret any bit of it .I had a successful academic progress and my research career is just starting now.
Well for those who want to do any more studies, four years isn’t too long .Ask me how I managed and I will share the tricks .
If you dont join us , we will remain in power.
Know any Malawian doctor who may be interested in ophthalmology?
What do you say?
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Write up status

2010-09-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

Ask me about my status; am known that I am in a “write up status” instead of the usual happily married answer .You see once the major research data collection has been completed , one is suppoosed to go into a write up status, symbolizing that you have to analyze and synthesize the data and then write up paper.This is the stat I am in now , which is really a busy period.Well its even harder harder you are in Malawi (home and dry) where other demanding things pop up all the time .
For instance I am the technical advisor to the Phalombe children project , jointly conducted by Lions Club of Limbe and Lions Club of Perugia , Italy .This is a project where we are screening children for need for glasses and providing glasses for free ; and also refering those who need surgery .Blantyre Insititute for community Ophthalmology (BICO) is coordinating the project .A big screening activity has been planned on 2nd October 2010.
I also have with me my elective Optometry students from University of Waterloo in Canada during this period .
Did you know the Lions Eye hospital in Zomba will be opened on 1st of October and that I have declined to be the director? Too much stress at the moment and I may end up collapsing.
I am concentrating on the write up. Once that is done then we can see what is next?
So when you see me not blogging , well am fine in Blantyre , but going on. See pictures of our project in Phalombe , Nazombe resource centre with Lion members?

What do you say?
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Death Announcement: Dr Moses Chirambo, Ophthalmologist & Minister of Health Malawi

2010-08-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

It is with sadness that I announce the death of Dr Moses Chirambo, the first Malawian Ophthalmologist, and and a well known public health Ophthalmologist in the International ophthalmology sector .He died in South Africa yesterday on Saturday 14th August 2010 from an anesthetist related cardiac complication while undergoing Prostate removal surgery. See my previous blogs about him and his pcitures.
Dr Chirambo actively retired from Ophthalmology in 2008 when he was appointed Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Malawi.
In 1983 , he established the Southern Africa Development corporation (SADC) school of Ophthalmology in Lilongwe, Malawi supported by Sight Savers International ; this school has trained over 500 clinical officers and cataract surgeons (midlevel eye personnel )from all over SADC countries and beyond ; and now several countries including Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia have started their own training programmes
In 1995, Chirambo got an International ward from the American Academy and IAPB for his fight in blindness; and continued to get several awards (too many to mention). He was a Regional advisor for Sight Savers International for a long time.
Between 1983 and 1987, Dr Chirambo, Professor Johnson Gordon and many other colleagues conducted the first population based childhood blindness survey on vitamin A & Xerophthalmia studies in Africa.
For those who knew Chirambo, he will be missed by many.

Join us in Malawi in morning this great achiever in Public Health ophthalmology & epidemiology.want to know more about him? look here

more Information Chirambo

Its a sad day
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Eye specialists and Politics do not go together. We are here for the Blind

2010-08-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome back Prof though you are still an honourable MP:

After a few months of being minister of Health ,I am told the Professor(Prof Chirambo, the eye specialist has been dropped by the other profffesor (our President)but Prof remains a member of parliament.Well some of us knew that African politics and too many brains in one place do not go together ,so it’s not strange that people like him do not last (speculate why).

I am proposing him to be VISION2020 ambassadordor to share success stories of VISION2020 activities in Malawi, and myself to be the deputy ambassodor (since he is sitting in the middle in the pcture and myself on one end).

Should such a genius have joined politics in the first place? What do you think?

Despite nepotism , i will contune ensuring that Malawian including ones from Thyolo have access to good quality eye care .

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if you have a problem with being non partisan in service delivery.

Thank God for my Mum

2010-07-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

Today was a very busy day for me ;am glad its now evening and I am looking forward to my trip tomorrow.
Why was i busy?I have being trying to send this Research article for publication in a peer reviewed journal.Imagine it took me the whole day.
Tomorrow I am going to Portsmouth;to see the harbour ;There is a feery that goes from the port to France-I am not sure whether I want to ride on it.
The trip from London to Port harbour by coach is 4 hours ;i will leave very early in the morning so that i spend the whole day there.I am coming back to London in the evening.

At the momemt i am about to sleep but am admiring the old pictures of my home village back in Mtwalo,Mzimba malawi.
I was there for the unveiling of the tombstone for my late father.
My mum is still looking miserable.
The other women carrying Nsima are smiling
People are happy sitting on the graves and charting not even thinking why they are there.
I had to borrow the red car from a colleague at Ekwendeni Mission hospital.
The grass thatched house (my mums kitchen) reminds me of the healthy organic food that i used to eat before being introduced to the hot dogs ;i feel sorry for her though : she's never been out of that village -maybe i need to do something for that community ? Resources are tight here in the West .

Of being a medical student

2010-07-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Gone were the good days

The photo on the right is a picture of myself :the younger Dr while still a medical student at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Australia in the early 90's.I was at the University of Adelaide medical school in South Australia from 1990 -1995
I was on a UNDP scholarship (through Malawi Government).
Look at how much I have changed today on this right picture taken when i was 37.

Ironically I am still working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital;but this time in Blantyre Malawi Africa.I was 21 then and keen ;staying at flat 40/133 Anzac Highway
I am over 40 ,with a lovely daughter and wife , but staying in a small village location in Blantyre (Baluti) not known by many ;but am still kicking.Time does fly.

World “Fight against blindness” Cup

2010-06-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Determining the World champions in fighting blindness can be very challenging, but indeed even in the field of blindness , people like Drogba do exists : I am representing Malawi and hope we can get through teams like Zambia ,Zimbabwe ,Mozambique ,and Rwanda quickly so that we start so that we start on focusing on difficulty ones like Ghana, Ivory coast , Nigeria and the Germans . Having done some eye work in the countries I have mentioned and seen how strong they are, I am confident Malawi has a bigger chance of winning .
Everyone including myself has been focusing so much on the world cup that reported for work for the month of June to July has been difficulty .For most , that means cancellation of field work ,and also cancellations of eye theatres to see the major games. Not fair for the poor patients
Having lost a fortune through gambling and betting on the England team; I have no choice but to get back to my roots : fighting against blindness and hoping to get in the semi finals of the “world fight against blindness” semi finals .A wise man warned me to stick to what I am familiar with so that everyone can appreciate. I am proud to report that out of blogs I have written; this one on Malawian Eye Dr becomes health minister has attracted most comments for a number of reasons ;well he has been one the few eye doctors in Sub-Saharan Africa who has left a name of the world map of blindness; and that for retirement he is currently the minister of Health for Malawi . I thank you for your encouraging comments ; and I shall continue writing about blindness in Malawi and other areas.
For politics ,,as Prof Chirambo used to say “Keep out of politcs:it is a dirtly game" and adding on the word “ listen to what I say and not what I do” , I am not amazed that he betrayed himself and become a politican and am keeping my fingers crossed .I have revisited the library to find more photos of him receiving the world cup on behalf many blind persons he has been fighting for .
Currently there are more than 10,000 Malawians who are blind from Cataract and could see again if a simple cataract operation would be performed on them .Most of these I believe will be supporting me
Which side are you on?
What do you want to say?
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Malawian Post Graduate student eye doctor shines in Berlin, Germany: June2010

2010-06-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

Malawian Post Graduate student eye doctor shines in Berlin, Germany: June2010
Dr Tamara Chirambo Nyaka , a student doctor specializing in ophthalmology at college of medicine in Blantyre ,Malawi has been awarded by Germany society of Ophthalmologists (DOG) Euro 5,000 in Berlin ,Germany for presenting the best student research topic in ophthalmology .
Dr Chirambo , a student of Dr Kalua ; is one of the most promising and will be one of the first ophthalmologist doctors to graduate from University of Malawi ,College of Medicine in 2010.
The world ophthalmological congress (WOC) in Berlin attracted over 1,200 speakers from all over the world and was attended by over 17,000 participants from 2nd -9th June 2010.The next International congress will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2012 and then Tokyo, Japan in 2014.
In his remarks during a brief visit to the Malawian embassy in Berlin; Professor Isaac Lamba who is the ambassador for Malawi in Germany congratulated Dr Chirambo for putting Malawi on the map.
Dr Khumbo Kalua , an epidemiology and clinical research lecturer of Dr Chirambo established the Blantyre institute for community Ophthalmology (BICO) to advance Eye Research in Malawi and is proud to be associated with the success of one of his students .
Who said Malawians had no brains?
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Blantyre Institute for community Ophthalmology (BICO) update 2010

2010-06-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

Remember 2 years ago when Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology (BICO) was founded in with the mission of contributing to the prevention and control of blindness in Malawi and neighboring countries in the Southern part of Africa through conducting practical research, teaching, training, consultancy and advocacy in eye care delivery? Remember the reason for starting the institute? To accelerate eye research in southern part of Africa inline with needs of VISION2020 : the Right to Sight ; the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness.
The centre aims to coordinate research being carried out by eye care professionals in Malawi and transfer the best of its expertise and experience to an ever-increasing number of eye care institutes across Southern Africa The centre is strategically located within the University Of Malawi College of Medicine teaching eye hospital, the Lions Sight first eye hospital in Blantyre. The current activities of the institute contributing to eye care in Malawi and other developing countries in Southern Africa can be broadly classified under the following areas: • Capacity building of community eye care health workers • Training Programmes – focusing on community eye care delivery • Research capacity building through conducting practical local research (operational and health services research ) • Publications • Consultative support to hospitals with no expertise in community eye health • Advocacy and contribution to Eye Care Programmes at National and International level through the Government and International NGOs. • Fund raising for eye care service delivery • Coordination of the National Trachoma Research •
Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology (BICO) contacts : Department of Ophthalmology ,Lions Sight First Eye hospital P.O.Box E180 Post dot net Blantyre Malawi .Email: kkalua @medcol.mw
BICO has already started making huge impact in regards to eye research in the region : in 2008 the trachoma survey was done in Malawi under leadership of BICO ; in 2009 BICO coordinated the trachoma survey in Rwanda; and continued with the childhood blindness survey in Blantyre ,Malawi .Later in 2009 BICO coordinated the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable blindness survey in Malawi .Recently BICO has helped solicit project funds for lions club of Limbe to support blind and visual impaired children in Phalombe, Malawi
There are several researches coming up under BICO in 2010.Indeed BICO is achieving its dream.
You can help BICO achieve more of its ambitions by just making a comment on where to get resources ?
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Happy 4th birthday Tapiwa my Daughter

2010-05-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tapiwa my daughter is turning 4 on Wednesday 2nd June, and praise the almighty lord for that. Remember her story, born at 7 months premature, weighing like a loaf of bread (<1 Kg) and in intensive care (neonatal ) unit for 3 months Tapiwa at Birth
Well see where she is today!!!!.Who said miracles don’t happen? And see her ; no wonder mum (middle in a hut) can afford to smile ! Does Tapiwa look like she is from Ezondweni,Mtwalo, Mzimba,Malawi?

Unfortunately I cannot be with her on that day; because I am on my way from London to Berlin, Germany to attend World Opthalmological congress Berlin World Congress of ophthalmology from 2nd -9th June. While there I intend to visit an old friend and classmate Martin Mkandawire, a resident of Dresden for many years and also catch up with Chihana , who is at the Malawi embassy in Berlin. Here in London everyone is asking me about the sentencing of the Malawian gay lovers to 14 years improvement with hard labour BBC news Malawian gays and I do not know what to say : expect that I am not gay.
Back to her birthday, obviously my daughter is upset that dad cannot be there on her special day which only happens once a year; and she has requested that her birthday party should therefore happen at the school with her friends. So imagine both mum and me will not be celebrating with her , a sign of growing up and being independent.
The problem with me is that it’s always work with blind persons, work and work; and always on the road. I will be giving two lecturers about blindness in Malawi; and the human resource crisis that we have at present. That is what being an eye doctor and researcher is all about.

Happy Birthday Tapiwa.

Would I have cancelled this trip for my daughter? Or done something different
What do you say?

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Lions club of Perugia Italy and Lions of Limbe to help blind and visually impaired children in Phalombe, Malawi , thanks to VISION2020

2010-05-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

In the days of so many scam and crooked emails, imagine someone you have not met in person or known before emails you and promises that they will give you USD 10,000 if you get back to them. Most of us including myself will disregard such an email or send it to trash and I almost did that a year ago; thank god I did not delete the email and this is why as I am blogging now USD 10,000 has been transferred to the Lions Club of Limbe in Malawi to help the blind and visually impaired children.
You see Lion Marco Terzetti of Perugia Lions club in Italy had by chance came across my blog site in December 2008 ; and was fascinated with articles on VISION2020 -the global initiative to fight blindness and what was being done in Malawi especially in regard to blind and visually impaired children .At that time I was blogging frequently about the project I was launching in Southern Malawi to help blind children ; and the challenges we were facing in Malawi .Honestly speaking I wasn’t blogging to ask for money from anyone .So when he emailed back with a few words saying “email me back to collect a cheque for your project in Malawi” I said to myself here we go with another of those Nigerian emails that claim that thousands of dollars have been left in bank in Abuja and that I should help the widow and get a 50% share ( and I do get a lot of these emails lately).
Putting my trust in God, I replied to Marco asking how this was going to be possible; after all what was his interest as he didn’t know me.
The rest is history (email me to get what followed after that); but I am proud to announce that through my blog site , the Lions Club of Limbe Malawi have benefited from Lions of Perugia ,Italy with a grant of USD10,000 to support a project in Phalombe dealing with blind and visually impaired children.
I came up with the idea that the project should take place in Phalombe. Lions Clubs Lions clubs have been a very strong supporting partner for VISION2020 ; and the first phase of their projects concentrated on infrastructure development –which for Malawi resulted in Lions club building 4 Lions eye hospitals and donating them to Government .I work at the biggest Lions Sight first eye hospital in Malawi , which is located at Queen Elizabeth in Blantyre .The second phase of Lions Project concentrated on supporting surgeries to reverse blindness from Trachoma ; and countries like Ethiopia have massively benefited from the Lions Fund.
Ironically the VISION2020 head offices are in London at the International Centre for Eye Health where I am based when I am in London. This should not come as a surprise that I am a strong advocate of VISION2020.
I am happy for now that through this VISION2020 initiative and the partnership with Lions club, the poor blind and severely visually impaired children from Phalombe, Malawi will be helped. Meanwhile I continue exploring other avenues of how to promote VISION2020 in Malawi. Sorry i forgot , I am a Lion member myself even though I am not in the picture with Lions of Limbe members.But you can see me among the children in my red polo t-shirt.Project is for 2010-2011; but you can come in after!!

Want to help ?
Any ideas ?

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Unrealistic expectations

2010-05-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s a million dollar question!! How do you tell this young blind child that when he grows up he will not be a soldier or a doctor as he wants .At-least not in Malawi and not a child from this rural Phalombe area . You see my mission to Phalombe was to visit the blind and visually impaired children at Nazombe primary school , in Chirunga, Phalombe which is situated near the Malawi Mozambican border .I have found the 15 blind children ; all in school and with a lot of aspirations ; two in particular want to become come a doctor and a soldier respectively. They are both learning at the school in Braille .For medicine I suppose you can go a long way with Braille ; but there is a lot of skills needed that it would be impractical for a blind child in Malawi to continue with the course .for the military , there is a lot of hard exercises and heavy duty work ; which in my opinion a blind child cannot cope up with .But here I am as a mentor , trying to encourage these children not to quit school , so how do I tell them you will never be a doctor or soldier ; that would demolise the children .
I am aware that now we talk of inclusive education; where the environment is modified to suit the blind child’s needs.I have seen this in UK , mainly at one blind school that we visited in Scotland ; and a budget of millions of pounds is needed every year to support such children .Malawi is too poor, so policy makers would not push for the move to put billions of kwacha just for the education of the few blind children .Its a moral dilemma , and I am not sure which side to follow .
Well, the truth is that all children need a decent education(whether blind or not) and that at the moment only 20% of blind children are attending school .
Do you want to suggest what can be the solution?
What do you say?

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Volcano in Iceland

2010-05-03T03:21:00.000-07:00

I was caught up in the European airline mess that happened a few weeks ago as a result of the volcano in Iceland .I could not proceed with my trip.

I happened to be affected by the volcano from 17th April -23rd April ; and I lost about USD 1000 as a result (ask me how privately!!!) . Well the volcano didnt happen in Malawi so I obviously wasnt there . I had initially planned to blog about it ; and finding myself being a victim of the air aviation industry , I could not afford to find time to blog anymore .I have after a few days finally reached my final destination ,trying to recover from the financial loss and once I settle , I will write a blog about how the volcano in Iceland affected me.
Were you also travelling during that time ? did you get affected ?

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Blogging from Kilimanjaro, Moshi Tanzania

2010-03-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

I have come to attend the gender and blindness meeting at Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology; and I have a chance to catch up with old friends in Tanzania .I am staying at Bristol cottages in Moshi.
We are here to discuss why less women access eye services all over the world ; and I have been asked to present findings as to whether it is true that girls also with blinding conditions access services less that boys . And yes it is true ; blind girls access less services than boys and something needs to be done to help more girls access services .
This meeting has drawn experts from all over the world (about 22 in total); we have friends from Seva foundation USA and Canada ;UK; Nepal ; Guatemala; India ; Egypt; Kenya ,South Africa Malawi and of-course the host Tanzania .
We have mapped out some strategies that we need to follow in the next 18-24 months to ensure that we move forward in addressing gender inequities in eye health.
With a team of experts from IAPB in attendance (Abi and Daniel); I believe we have a good platform for moving our agenda forward.
Moshi has been very hot this time; I gues the global warming has finally got us .Imagine snow is still bng seen covering top of Kilimanjaro mountain despite the great hit .
Today I have met an old good friend Joseph Banzi who we stayed together in UK for a year while doing our public health postgraduate degree in 2005.He is now a big boss working with Pathfinder ; an NGO that deals with HIV/AIDS. Well one day I wil be a big fish too; I gues time is the greatest predictor. We have visited the house that he is building in Moshi .
Abi from IAPB would like me to write a blog for the website; but I seem to be dry on what to write.
Well, I am still here for a few more days; maybe I will come up with something.
Have you been to Kilimanjaro?
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Live Earth London 2010 to benefit Malawi

2010-02-11T02:27:00.000-08:00

Water crisis remains a problem in Malawi , with most parts of Blantyre still being rationed .With the rainy season not having brought much water this year,the situation is likely to be worsened in 2010 as most rivers are still dry up to now .
But all is not lost for Malawi; there are people out there who are trying to raise funds to combat water crisis in countries like Malawi .Pump Aid , a leading water charity is calling on 14,000 people to dust off those running shoes and take part in The Dow Live Earth Run for Water London event, which will take place on 18th April 2010.
Live Earth is happening across the world on 18th April 2010 and the London event in Victoria Park will be one of the largest. It is a 6km run/walk charity event followed by a free concert performed by global superstars, to raise awareness and funds to combat the global water crisis.
The Dow Live Earth Run for Water London will take place in Victoria Park on April 18th 2010 at 10am. Entrants will be rewarded with a fantastic free live concert featuring global superstars after the run, and there will also be Water Villages with activities to help raise awareness of the world’s water crisis. The last Live Earth London concert featured artists such as: Madonna, Kasabian, Metallica, Beastie Boys and The Black Eyed Peas; so get signed up and get those running shoes on and be part of this phenomenon that will take place on the 18th April 2010!
The Dow Live Earth Run for Water is the largest solutions-based initiative in history aimed at solving the world's water crisis. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water is a globally-unified day of commitment and awareness that will involve thousands of runners, celebrities, and most importantly, ordinary people who want to make a difference throughout the world.
I have been told by the communication Intern for Pump aid that the funds raised in London by Live Earth London 2010 will benefit Malawi ; let us hope our greedy politicians do not pocket all the money for personal use.
Why am I concerned about water when as an an eye doctor am always busy with blind children and adults?
Blinding Eye diseases like Trachoma shown in the picture are mainly present due lack of water leading unhygienic conditions which cause eye infections that eventually lead to blindness .
So anyone fighting water problem in Malawi is indirectly fighting eye diseases. I plan to attend the concert in London.
Do you want to end WATER POVERTY- then Sign up to the global Dow Live Earth 6K Run for Water on 18th April 2010 for Pump Aid

visit liveearth.org

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for your commments

Happy Birth day

2010-02-02T07:01:00.000-08:00

Today 2nd February I am a year older.I wish myself a happy birthday .
As usual i am out of Blantyre on a field trip within Malawi .

And I can feel that my body is quickly been worn day by day ;

Thanks to the many days spent in the community fighting blindness, at the expense of my health.

I think it is time to retire and give chance to the young ones to continue where I will have left . maybe I can spend more time with my family and lovely daughter

What do you say?

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2010 is here

2010-01-03T02:41:00.000-08:00

Some of us just squeezed ourselves to get in to the new year, and somehow made it .Lucky again !!!
Myself Got big plans for 2010; if god allows.
Still working on new year’s resolutions , one of them may include migrating from Malawi .
Anyway I spend almost 9 months away from Malawi this year, so got time to see once gain review what Uk offers . Will be writing about my experiences with blind children in Malawi.
What are your plans?
Any comment?
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Ending the year 2009 in Thyolo with a bang

2009-12-29T21:37:00.000-08:00

Today is 30th December and it’s just a few days from New Year. I am told the former President of Malawi is not well and I wish him a quick recovery .
I am currently in Thyolo district, home of the new president , and I am completing the blindness research that I stopped due to absence of fuel in Malawi that happened for a few weeks . Now there is fuel in town .
Today I am in chiromo village ,near Luchenza , and this is one of the villages under the Member of Parliament honorable Mutharikka .Naturally apart from seeing a few blind people ,you expect everyone to be happy in this constituency ( as its where the big man comes from and the Mhlako wa Alommwe is strongest ).I see this old blind man ; and asks how the rains have been so far ; and he replies that you people in Government did not give us the fertilizer you promised because we did not cast a vote ; and so why do you care about the rain.
When I finally tell him that he has a cataract that needs to be operated on in Thyolo hospital, he doubts if he will come, as he says he has no confidence in this Government. I as an outsider, is surprised that this old man who did not get the free fertilizer coupons thinks that unless something happens he will not get the free surgery .
As I move round the village in a Government vehicle , I get numerous complaints about the big man-spefically to do with how the fertilizer issue ; and I am asked to donate some funds for completion of a church in the centre of the village . I definitely say “No” as it would be likely that I would be put in jail if I tried to defame the big man by donating small monies to his constituency (I don’t have the monies anyway).
But am glad we have harvested a good number of blind people and have asked to come to Blantyre in Jan 2010.I will be performing surgery on them.

By the way I have missed the job promotion again this year; and from rumours I get in thyolo am tempted to think that it’s probably to do with my place of origins; as colleagues from different Regions have all been promoted.If only the big man knew that this blind person i am treating is from his village, am sure he would have influenced my promoton.After all i am long overdue and qualified.But he has wrong advisors who only want to promote tribalism .

Imagine am mistaken as being a Lomwe and all these things are being said to me in confidence ; but I am only here for seeing eye patients and I am afraid to reveal that i am not from here incase i maybe stoned.

I have been told i should always remember I come from the dead Northen Region of Malawi ; though I may now probably settle near Ndata farm (to feed from the big man’s savings)in southern Region and be a Lomwe for life.

Kamuzu many times said we were all Malawians and completely discouraged regionalism; thuswhy i can confidently go and treat eye patients in thyolo . But things are slowly changing -who knows where i will be next ?

Will be posting pictures from Ndata farm soon

Any way Happy new year once again .

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Happy Christmas and merry New Year

2009-12-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year when we gather together with families and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ I am particularly privileged to be at home in Malawi this year with my family .Last year I spent Christmas in Rwanda ,was conducting a survey of trachoma .This year i get to know a bit more about my daughter Tapiwa.

All I can say is that the Lord be praised for keeping me healthy throughout in 20009, and I do not take it for granted .if you are in Malawi you would know how many well deserving people have left this country (died) ; most of them if given a chance would have loved to go on with their lives . But I was among the many chosen not to be a statistic (at least for this year) .I believe I have served him better.

The scarcity of fuel remains a big issue in Malawi; thanks to our politicians.

As from BICO, it is my hope that several people that I operated on will have sight to see this Christmas properly and that I will be helping many more in the New Year.
By the way, I plan to update my blogging profile in 2010; am just keeping my fingers closed.

God bless

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Thank you for your nomination about the blog

2009-12-01T09:38:00.000-08:00

A recent opinion poll has ranked my blog as one of the top 100 interesting blogs from Malawi.
The internet research was conducted by an old classmate and friend of mine who is based in Virginia, USA and whom I haven’t seen for 21 years.
He has acknowledged that in 1982 when we used to swim together in the mad running water of Jubile river in Ezondweni , Mtwalo ,Mzimba while our cows went around eating others peoples maize stalks ; he did not know that those experiences would be shared through internet many many years later . He also acknowledges the fact that for boys who used to sit on the mad floor and lose writing pencils everyday at Ezondweni Model school,and constntly wishing if we were born in another country and blaming God for our problems ; it a blessing that I can have a blog with less blasphemy.
He goes on to say that at that time we had no reasons to thank God for, but now we have many.
His views are shared by many other respected Malawian bloggers; who suggest that if I only seriously took some blogging lessons ( for a few dollars) I could probably produce some blogs that are more palatable and more beneficial to the nation of Malawi .One blog in particular , quoted that “for a man who can manage to see the following places in Malawi within a week: Chididi in Nsanje , East bank in Chikwawa , Kunenekude in Mwanza , Namitambo in Chirazulu and Mulibwanji in Mangochi , all of them extremely boring – and still blog about them !!! deserves some special award “. I am glad that people have realized that the work I do and the places I visit are not all fun, but somebody has to do the job, unfortunately for this time its me. No matter how boring the areas I visit are –some Malawians come from there and they need a visit.
Some bloggers have rated the blog as one o the worst 100 and least likely to be educative .That is what opinion polls are about.
I dedicate this blog to the volunteers of Nancholi Health centre in Mangochi Distrct that appear in the picture "with me included" .They recently did a good job in identfifying a lot of blind children .
What’s the prize and suggestions for the future?
Most readers suggest that if I stop blogging about the past and boring communities that I visit and concentrate on the good life that there is in Malawi (Lilongwe, Blantyre) and how I am part of that, one day I may be nominated by the majority of bloggers in Malawi and appear at the annual Entertainers awards that takes place yearly at end of December, Mount Soche Blantyre. Moreover they advise that unless I change my writing styles I may never move from rural “Kwabaluti” in Blantyre where I currently stay ( I am sure you haven’t heard of where it is) to more important places like Namiwawa, Sunnyside and Nyambadwe where the rich and famous live .
I am still young in the blogging sector; and I like writing about blind people and the poor communities they live in; hence I prefer to live in similar communities.
Hence I refuse their award that is based on bribery about my writing skills.
However my colleague from Virginia thinks that if he ever gets back to Malawi, we should go back to Ezondweni Village Mtwalo together and have a good laugh of what lives we used to have .I personally do not think he will ever get back to Malawi.
You can also rank my blog. Do you think its one of the worst 100 from Malawi?
What do you say?
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Fuel crisis in Malawi affecting Blind people in Thyolo and elsewhere

2009-12-01T08:31:00.000-08:00

You are not the only one wondering how this can be possible.
What do young and old blind have to do with fuel crisis in Malawi? After all they are from the rural areas of Malawi, never had a driving license in their life; and will never drive .More over they rarely see vehicles in their community.
The first time I heard that there was no diesel in Malawi was about four weeks ago when I was doing my research in Thyolo ; to be more specific around Bvumbwe area .When I went to the diesel station at Bvumbwe there was a lot of diesel around ; and I was told the problem was only in Blantyre. Continuing with my journey I visited villages around Bvumbwe health centre hoping to learn some Lomwe ; only to be told that the traditional authority (TA ) Bvumbwe is a Ngoni descent from Ntcheu and that all his people are Ngonis (did you know that?) .For me , my assignment was simple , to examine the blind and visually impaired so didn’t care whether you were a Ngoni or Lomwe (Muhlako ; as long as you were blind you were my client ) .We anticipated that we would harvest around 200 blind people from Thyolo and that they would all be helped through a sight restoring operation schedules to take place in Blantyre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital .
The next few visits were scheduled for Ndata farm, Makande tea estate, Luchenza, Mangazi , Boidi , Kwethemule ,Mauwa and Chitimbe and we were going to be there for at least 10 days . But we did not complete the work, only stayed for 2 days and I have not been back since then. Will tell you the reason why! Fuel crisis.
I overheard some people discussing that the present lack of fuel in Malawi was due to shortage of forex ; but with my ageing grey matter I could not figure how the two were related (excuse me , I still haven’t yet figured how ) . It was of course a relief when I heard the high authority announcing that the crisis was due to Mozambican Government blocking the passing of trucks with fuel from South Africa to Malawi and this initially made some sense to me .But eventually I started wondering that for my 40 years that I have been in Malawi (perhaps more important for the 16 years that I have been driving) I have never heard of a fuel crisis in Malawi ; even during worse days when Kamuzu the other “Ngwazi” was in bad books with Mozambican president the late Samora Machel ;we still had fuel in Malawi .At that point having smelt a rat , I decided to stop thinking about why we were having fuel crisis and concentrate on seeing my patients in Thyolo. After all, being a senior citizen and doing good work to help the poor and the needy, I did not think anyone would deny me fuel to go to the field but I was wrong again (excuse me I am old).
Within two days the fuel crisis had accelerated, and all diesel in Thyolo and elsewhere was gone.
I tried to maneuver around using my influence (“good” corruption) but could not succeed in getting fuel anywhere.
Unfortunately all Chiefs from areas scheduled for visits were told to mobilize and gather patients at particular places on the given dates; and with this fuel crisis everything came to an end .
I have been rendered a liar ; have had people calling and asking when the trips will be rescheduled, and as long as the current situation continues I do not see myself doing any more community work.Please do not arrest me for my freedom of speech.

I am still drawing my small salary and working in Blantyre (I dont think I should stop) , but of course I am no longer going to the field as a Community Ophthalmologist.So do you now see how the blind from Thyolo and elsewhere have been affected by fuel crisis? Unfortunately they do not have anyone to speak for them; some of us may lose our jobs for being their advocate.
I can be sacked for other reasons , but not for my incompetence, because I am not the one responsible for the fuel crisis.

Meanwhile I have time to sit down at the lake and take some drinks while I wait for the numbers of blind people to continue rising up. Hopefully with the good policies of the current Government (that I fully voted for and support) that gives enough free fertilizer to all its citizens (compaired with only a starter pack from the previous Government), those blind should still be able to farm and get a bumper harvest next year. Otherwise I instead of the “fuel” crisis may be blamed for not having visited them and advising them to go for an operation, yet I know they can see again.
I rest my case on fuel .

Any good advice on what I should do?
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December 1 depressing AIDS DAY

2009-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Another World AIDS day is here.
Unfortunately this year am unable to blog about it .
I am overwhelmed with the amount of relatives I have lost to AIDS in Malawi this year .
Moreover , I am saddened by the news that my fellow Malawians have started ABUSING the life saving ARV drugs .Some of them are using them for brewing local brewery ; while the others are using ARV's in chicken feeds so that their chickens lay extra large eggs which will fetch more money when sold. The society we are in is unbelievably corrupt .I lost an Uncle when ARV's were not available and have lost several brothers and sisters since the ARV's have been around. I know several relatives who are currently on them now.
Well , I have been asked to wear something RED tomorrow but I am not going to do it because its so depressing to me .Imagine a young working professional lady aged 36 years and living not far away from where we are will be buried tomorrow in her village. She died 2 days ago.
Imagine how many articles on HIV/AIDS we scientists have published since the advent of HIV 28 years ago (1981) ; and the Nobel prizes we have received ; yet we are nowhere near solving the mystery .People are still dying everyday.

But there is a GOD out there ,who knows when and how the enemy will be destroyed.

As for now AIDS/HIV is here to stay .

Rest in peace all those who have been affected .

have you been touched too or you know someone who has ?
do you just want to comment?

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Primary Health Care (PHC): Fantasy or reality for Malawi

2009-11-23T05:28:00.000-08:00

From the recent political blog, I am back to my senses after sobering up and ready to report on more community work. Today I am writing about Primary health Care, PHC in short.

There is a long definition of what PHC is supposed to be as given by World health Organisation: (WHO, Alma Ata Declaration. WHO1978 p.3-4) that includes 5 sets of principles, viz: affordable and sustainable health systems development, appropriate(user friendly) technology, intersectoral collaboration, community participation ,and equity to access of services –whatever these mean!!! “Remember the Health for all by the year 2000” this was one of the WHO initiatives that was going to use PHC.
Heard about Millennium development goals (MDG’s) - most of these need PHC to be achieved.
So why is an eye doctor in the forefront talking about PHC? Well, for your information we are supposed to be integrating primary eye care (PEC) into Primary Health Care (PHC).There is now renewed call by “WHO” for implementing PHC in developing countries.

But how are countries like Malawi doing on PHC at grassroots level? This is a political question so need to be answered by politicians; but I will only be giving my views based on my experiences with the communities mainly in Southern region of Malawi. For this blog I will concentrate on my experiences during my recent visit to Mangochi district.
Fact 1 : Health Surveillance Assistants (HSA’s) are the main provider of primary health care in all communities in Malawi .I was introduced to this group of workers in 2007 when I started my research in eye care and since then I have interview over 200 HAS’s and trained about the same number on primary eye care. They fall under two levels of employment by the Government; those employed before 2007 –referred as normal HSA’s and those after July 2007,referred as the Global HSAs’s (because they were deployed under the global fight against HIV/AIDS initiative).They all are supposed to undergo a 10 week orientation training in everything (preventive ,curative and rehabilitative services) and then attend other on-job trainings .
Fact 2: At most 50% of all HSA’s recruited in 2007 have not after 2 years formally attended their 10 week training in Mangochi, Zomba and Mulanje and are actively doing their day to jobs without training .
Are we sure these personnel are doing what we intended them to be doing? Are they doing standardised procedures?
Fact 3: Some of the health centres with a catchment area of higher than 10,000 persons have no medical assistants, or nurses and are left to be taken care by HSA’s who attend to and treat all sorts of patients including maternity patients . I witnessed this in Mangochi at a health centre I visited to screen blind children , I was told there was neither a nurse or medical assistant there ,the senior HSA was in charge and was doing all the clinical work (and he was staying in a beautiful institutional house that would have been used by the nurse of she were there)
Can these HSA’s treat patients even if they were trained for 10 weeks? Is this what PHC is for Malawi –HSA’s taking place of medical personnel?
For once they are not recognised and registered by any nursing or medical body in Malawi ,yet they are doing what they are not supposed to be doing .Is this what PHC is all about ?
In my view one cannot be qualified to offer medical treatment when they are only high school (secondary) leavers and have only attended 10 weeks orientation.
Fact 4 : the Maternal mortality (number of mothers dying in child birth) for Malawi is the highest in the world ; the same non trained HSA’s are supposed to be in the forefront in preventing these deaths.
Are you surprised therefore that the numbers of mothers dying is not reducing in Malawi (unless we start cooking up the figures so that they shrink)?
These HSA’s are underpaid, have poor skills and are not clinically supervised. They can only be motivated to do best by improving these?
PHC is supposed to be strengthened at grass root /community level; this is definitely not the case in Mangochi. I visited some health posts and health centres in Mangochi where they had not had any supervisory visits from the district hospital since the start of this year. In another busy health centre, I found an intern (trainee medical assistant ) running the hospital after being posted there 8 months ago; he told me he had never been supervised or told what he should exactly do.
Unless our leaders invest wisely in PHC in Malawi; we are doomed to fail.

Remember “Failing to plan is planning to fail”

Those who believe and say that we are achieving a lot through PHC should go and spend time in the communities and witness what is happening there; we may be making some progress , but some of us have collected figures that prove the contrary .Show me your statistics ,and I will show you mine. I was very optimistic about PHC when I started my research, now I have become pessimistic.
Do you more data from me?
Do you want to debate?
Or do you want just to comment?

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Check for my next blog? Which MDG’s can be achieved by 2015 in Malawi?

Poor Malawi, My beloved country!!!

2009-11-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

I have not been able to blog for the past few weeks due to pressure of work and travelling , and indeed I am overwhelmed with the current assignment I have been undertaking on behalf of Sight Savers International; Malawi office .
We are conducting a blindness survey in the South West Zone of Malawi (Thyolo, Blantyre, Chirazulu, Mwanza, Neno, Chikwawa and Nsanje) and because my teams and I have been staying in the field it has been impossible to have time to sit down and write a blog.
But the recent developments in politics in Malawi and the future implication on technical persons like myself have made me find time to blog while I am here in Thyolo ,the Muhlako was Alomwe headquarters ,and the chosen home of current rulers of my beloved country (the president ,army leaders ,police, immigration , senior lawyers and doctors e.tc) .
Apart from wishing a colleague from the Muhlako “best wishes” as he has been appointed to be the “Presidents physician” (and he deserves it) and has now moved to State house , I had to bid farewell during the past weeks to the colleagues classmate (my colleague too) who was a senior physician and lecturer in Medicine at the College of medicine ,in Blantyre and has migrated to Canada last week , partly because of the racial comments that are being brought foreward by the big man.
As I sit and examine these poor patients from Ndata farm, Thyolo ,I wish to say that I have never looked at them as being from the East ,West ,South,or Central Malawi , but as Malawians who need services of a community eye specialist. But now I am being told am wrong – I need to have in my mind views of where people come from before I give them a service and if they come from a particular clan or area ,I am entitled to give them a substandard service. Well for the last 14 years as a medical officer, I have never benefited people of my own clan (despite coming from there) and have never looked at it as an issue. Already another senior colleague who is Dean of Medical colleague has indicated that he is planning to migrate from Malawi sooner than later ; and has told me that people do not appreciate my effort and services in the South because I come from a particular area of the country. I do not doubt this anymore since the big man himself has indicated that unless you are from Mhako wa Alomwe clan ,you are unlikely to be promoted or appointed to senior positions in Government . It is not surprising then that despite there being many senior vacancies in Ministry of Health; some of us have not moved an inch for the last 7 years just because we are told we were born of the wrong clan.
So , one of these days when you here that I am no longer in Malawi , do not be surprised as I will just be following what other colleagues from such wrong clans are already doing .After all ,why be patriotic of your country if you are going to be castigated by the same leaders that you vote into power .
My earlier blog indicated that I may be interested in politics in future , but for now since I have realized how dirty politics is ; I am going to stick to helping blind children in the community –and will stay in the Muhlako ; despite the big boss (President) saying that I will not be considered for any promotion because of where I come from .
And if you do not know what has been happening in Malawi recently in terms of politics and nepotism, I refer you to the websites like Nyasa times
Please do not quote any of the items in this blog as “they may result in me and my family being exiled” .
Meanwhile I remain in the Muhlako wa Alomwe area (Thyolo) for a few more weeks while I examine blind people despite being aware of comments people are making about me.
Should the president be interfering with lives of technical people like myself and threatening to kick us out of Malawi?
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Time does fly.

2009-10-03T02:29:00.000-07:00

Imagine seeing the younger sister that you’ve been sending to school all this time now getting married and the little daughter that has been in the children’s intensive care unit now with a big smile and also going to school. It just shows that time indeed does fly.
I remember it’s not long ago when my sister Alice was asking for pocket money for her upkeep in secondary school ,and also the day she was saying she had been selected to University of Malawi ,the Polytechnic, to pursue a degree in Electronic Engineering and me saying you better work hard because it wasn’t going to be easy in a male dominated profession .Imagine today she is not only a qualified Engineer who is working ,but she is also married (see her wedding photo) .And if you see my daughter Tapiwa in my early blogs and how bad she started her life in the intensive care Unit in Manchester, being born only at 7 months,you wouldn’t believe she is the same girl today.She is our Miracle and Glory be to God the almighty.
Well I have been busy traveling up and down in the communities focusing on finding blind children and helping them ; only to realize that I have missed my daughter growing up –and can't even recall seeing her crawling or starting walking,and didnt take pictures .What a pitty!!!!!. If only she didn’t have such a good mum, what could have become of her with a father who is constantly away from home? God bless the mum (who happens to be my lovely wife).
Today I am in transit, but when I get home will try to spend a whole day with Tapiwa and also visit my young inlaw who has married my sister .Then I am off again for the eye survey in the community.

Maybe I should try to create more time to spend with my family?
But where can I get time from?

Recently I have been advised that I need to go to a rehabilitation centre and be treated for being alcoholic (am told I am a work alcoholic ,but when you are the sufferer ,you don’t know).
Am sure my wife Victoria will agree with the diagnosis when I tell her.

What do you say?

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Dinner and dance in honour of Prof Robin Broadhead

2009-09-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

Well you may wonder who Professor Robin Broadhead is in Malawi or at the University of Malawi,but ask any Malawian doctor and he will tell you everything about this man who has moved medicine well beyond where everyone else would have imagined it to be in Malawi within the last few years. To me this pediatrician he is a teacher, a mentor, a colleague, a friend and all you can say .To others he is the Principal of College of Medicine ,former head of paediatrics department at medical college ,blaah , blaah ,blaah!!!.
Well we will be having a dinner and dance in honour of him at Ryalls hotel in Blantyre on the 9th of October because I am told this has been his last term of office as a College Principal .I look forward to dining with him.
If you want to know what he has been able to achieve for college of medicine , visit the website at College of Medicine and you will see how far the college has moved.
I hope during the dinner we will have a moment to reflect on the life of Dr George Kafulafula ,his vice Principal who passed away at a very early stage only a few weeks ago .Dr Kafulula ,a young Malawian Obstetrics and Gynecologist had made a great contribution to the college together with Proffessor Robin Broadhead. If I was a good writer ,I would have written lots about these two and the College of medicine.But I am handicapped and tongue tied ,I don’t even know where to start to mention many of their success stories !!!!
For now ,I can only wish Broadhead a good retirement as the Principal of college of Medicine .
He will be missed by many.
Have you heard about Prof Robin Broadhead and his achievements in Malawi ? do you want to comment?
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Another success story from training community health workers in rural Malawi in identifying blind children

2009-09-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

This young girl in the picture has cataract, and has been identified by one of the community health workers that we trained in Mangochi district. The girl was struggling in school but did not know what problem she was suffering. Through the study being conducted by support from British Council for prevention of Blindness (BCPB), our team has trained over 400 dedicated community eye health workers.
As a thank you for the good work we have given the health worker the t-shirt that he is wearing.
We have also advised the girl to come to Lions Sight First Eye hospital, Blantyre for eye surgery .We do refund the transport cost for the girl and the guardian if they get to Blantyre –through funds donated by Future Vision Ministries (FVM) in Canada. But we are running low on the funds and will not continue doing the good work unless other well wisher comes along .We appreciate any donation to BICO (Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology) and will acknowledge you.BICO relies 100% on charity donations.

Do you want to help ? or just comment?
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Scotland revisited

2009-09-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

This time the trip to Scotland has been a very brief and short one. We are in Glasgow at York hill children hospital as part of our links programme and we have been invited for two weeks .We will be going back to Malawi weekend of 6th October .For the 1st time I have travelled with my boss, who happens also to be the hospital Director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Blantyre .My boss and I have known each for a long time (we first met at University of Malawi in Zomba in 1988) ,and did internship around the same time; we shared a flat in Nairobi Kenya in the late 90’s while studying to become eye specialist, and have been in the same department in Blantyre since 2004. Today we visited the town of Blantyre that is in Scotland; indeed a small town where the famous Dr David Livingstone was born and where our Blantyre city came from . As you can see from the picture ,a sign saying welcome to Blantyre is displayed on the entrance.Susan the orthoptist at Yorkhill hospital and the husband kindly agreed to take us to see the original Blantyre town . Apart from the David Livingstone Museum the town looks to be deserted. But it has a lot of stories to tell.This man did a lot for Africa .And indeed he discovered lake Nyasa (now Lake Malawi).We have to thank him for christianity that has now wide spread.Did you know that during the entire trip and expeditions in Africa Dr Livingstone only manged to convert one person(an local African chief) to christianity? The rest of the developments only started after he had died!!! Isnt that amazing looking at how many churches we now have?
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OVER 120 BLIND PEOPLE HAVE THEIR EYE SIGHT RESTORED IN ZOMBA AND MACHINGA, MALAWI

2009-09-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

A short meeting between Dr Khumbo Kalua , Senior eye specialist from Lions Sight First Eye hospital , Blantyre ,Malawi and Mr Kashinath Chatruvedi , MD for First Merchant Bank (FMB),Blantyre has resulted in over 120 blind people from areas surrounding Zomba and Machinga district having their sight restored through eye operations performed at Zomba central hospital from the 14-18th September 2009 .
Since the worsening of the global final crisis earlier this year , a Malawi Ministry of Health partner who was heavily involved in supporting eye care in the South East Zone ( Mulanje ,Phalombe, Zomba ,Machinga and Mangochi) has pulled out unexpectedly early this year and as a result there had been no surgical sight restoring eye camps conducted in this zone the whole of the year. Reports that many blind people were suffering in this zone prompted Dr Kalua to approach the MD for FMB, and find out if he would help to solicit funds to support eye operations. Supporting Eye care has not attracted good funding from Ministry of Health because of priority in other life threatened diseases like Malaria and HIV/AIDS. However those who are blind can more than often be helped with very little resources compaired to other diseases .
Dr Kalua had approached the MD as an appeal from the private to support the public (private- public partnership) and reading the newspaper that the private sponsoring things like Golf and other sports ,and the MD agreed to talk Rotary Club of Limbe; who inturn agreed to support eye operation in Zomba and Machinga districts .A generous donation to cover logistics involving the identification of patients ,transportation to and from hospital ,and transportation of staff from Blantyre was solicited by the mD from the Rotary club .
Patients with cataract were mobilized from Machinga and Zomba , picked from their homes, had eye operations done at Zomba Central hospital and were ferried back to their homes . Operations were done by a team of two dedicated eye specialist doctors from Lions Sight first eye hospital, Blantyre.
It was all happiness and smiles the next day when patients who had been blind for sometime (up to 5 years) were able to regain their sight and see again.The staff were thanked for the good work that is being done and these good stories were reported in the “Nation” newspapers.
Cataract is the commonest eye condition that causes blindness in Malawi and a painless operation of less than 15 can result to total reversal of blindness with patients completely regaining their sight.
Currently over 20,0000 of all adult aged 50 and above in Malawi are blind or have severely visual impairment from Cataract and are waiting for cataract surgery . Supporting one cataract operation to restore sight cost less than USD 50 per patient and up to 20 patients can be done per day by one surgeon.

All well wishers who would like to come forward to support the eye operations in Malawi should contact Dr Khumbo Kalua at LIONS EYE HOSPITAL, BLANTYRE!

There are currently only 8 eye specialists based in Malawi , and training to be an eye specialists takes a minimum of 10 years of medical school (6 years of undergraduate and 4 years of specialization).

Patients with eye problems can go directly to any one of the tertiary hospital in Malawi in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu and can be seen there.
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Hit hard but still kicking

2009-09-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

Been very quiet because not only did my computer crash ,but my blog site was attacked more than once making it impossible for me to access my site .
But I am still around ,having returned from Livingstone ,Victoria falls in Zambia a few weeks ago where wee spent a substantial amount of time examining people in the community.Community Ophthalmology is indeed advancing.
Unfortunately I lost most of the good pictures .
Should people be taking an active role destroying blog sites like mine?
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