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David Gordon Memorial Hospital
From 20th May to the 15th June 2006, I will be travelling to Malawi with a team from 1st Magherafelt Presbyterian Church. The trip will be divided into two parts, the first being renovation and painting health posts at Livingstonia. For the second part, I will stay on for an 10 days to complete some work with Scripture Union of Malawi.
Dr
Maureen Stevenson (member of
1st Magherafelt Presbyterian) is the medical officer in charge of
the hospital at Livingstonia, Northern Malawi. The following
extract for the hospital report gives an over of the hospital.
David Gordon Memorial Hospital was establish by Scottish Presbyterian Missionaries in 1910 and came under the Synod of Livingstonia over 40 years ago. The Scottish Doctor, clergyman, educationalist and explorer, Rev. Dr. Robert Laws, established the mission in 1894. The hospital now has 134 beds and is located on the Mumbwe Plateau, 4,450 feet above sea level, in the north east of Rumphi District. From the plateau there is a panoramic view across Lake Malawi, some 3,000 feet below and the mountains of Tanzania, about 96km away.
The
hospital, together with its three health centres and a health post along
the lakeshore (Luwuchi, Mlowe, Tcharo and Zunga), delivers health care
and the Primary Health Department delivers services aimed at improving
the overall wellbeing of the community.
The catchment area has a population of over 50,000 with 8,800 households. Approximately 60% of the population is ages 15 to 49 and 40% are 15 years and below (Msukwa, 1994 CSP/PHC, 2002).
The
team will be renovating the health post at Zunga, repainting the health
centre at Luwuchi and helping to repair some staff housing. We
will also have a number of medical people with us who will work in the
hospital at Livingstonia.
The remainder of my time in Malawi (Sunday 4th to Wednesday 14th June) will be spent with Scripture Union. I hope to continue and complete some of the work started in 2005.