Scenes of hope in Mzuzu, Malawi

Medical volunteers from Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia and the UK came together to provide exceptional care to over 40 children in Mzuzu, in the Northern Region of Malawi.

*Patient registration at Mzuzu Central Hospital. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

From 9^th– 15^th February, 40 medical volunteers from Malawi, Ghana, Kenya and UK came together in Mzuzu, Malawi to change the lives of more than 44 children and young adults.

*The area surrounding Mzuzu. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

It was the very first programme at Mzuzu Central Hospital, in the northern part of Malawi. Here, the landscape is very hilly and there are not many main roads that connect the rural communities to the bigger cities. Many patients live in remote areas and have to travel as much as 12 hours to reach their closest medical facility.

*Regional patient coordinator Frank working with National Patient Coordinator Joey. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

Frank is Operation Smile’s Regional Patient Coordinator. His responsibilities include organising surgical and non-surgical programmes, such as nutrition assessment or speech therapy sessions; managing campaigns to raise awareness on cleft conditions and to register new patients; coordinating community volunteers and, most importantly, being the first point of contact for our patients in the region.

Before I started in 2018, Operation Smile was not in the Northern region. It was something common to other organisations as well, as everyone focuses on the central or southern region. So I am proud to see how Operation Smile grew since we started working and now we have a big group of community volunteers that help finding and supporting patients who need cleft care.
Frank, Regional Patient Coordinator, Operation Smile Malawi

*Community volunteer Alick interacting with patients waiting for surgery. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

In the region, Operation Smile Malawi has over 60 community volunteers and patient ambassadors working in seven administrative districts to find and register patients. They are organised in clusters and each cluster has a leader who monitors and supports the other volunteers in the group. They can reach remote areas, sharing vital information about cleft care and safe surgery, and challenging common misconceptions and superstition about cleft conditions.

Alick is a leader of one of the clusters in the region. He has been involved with the organisation since 2017 and is really passionate about finding patients who need care.

We put our ears down to hear or try to perceive where patients can be. We visit the clinics or health centres and we also attend meetings and ask to speak to people and talk about Operation Smile Malawi, and we answer to any questions people has.
Alick, Community volunteer, Operation Smile Malawi

*Little James and his mother, going through medical evaluation with anaesthesia officers Peter and Godfrey. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

During the programme in Mzuzu, 80 children, teenagers and adults came to receive a full medical evaluation. Operation Smile is keen to evaluate anyone who seeks help, even those that don’t clearly qualify for the type of medical care we provide.

Our medical team in Mzuzu comprised many medical and non-medical specialties, including surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, paediatricians, child life specialists, speech therapists, audiologists, nutritionists, PIT photographers and medical records officers. Thanks to this highly-skilled team, our patients can receive exceptional comprehensive care.

*The team of nutritionists organising a training with mothers, fathers and other caregivers. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

Our team of nutritionists was involved not only during the pre-surgical evaluation of patients – to ensure their weight appropriate for surgery – but also during the whole week. They provided nutrition supplements to malnourished children who were too poorly for surgery at this programme. They distributed milk and other vital nourishment to children who received surgery and they also organised workshops with mothers, fathers and other caregivers to explain how they could introduce a healthier diet at home.

*Dr Daniel, assisted by Dr Bright, providing cleft surgery to a patient. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

During surgery days, the OR medical team was very busy changing the lives of 46 patients.

Surgeons Dr Daniel from Ethiopia, Dr Wone from Malawi and Dr Mark from Kenya were assisted by Dr Ayid from Mzuzu Central Hospital and Dr Bright, one of our brilliant plastic surgery residents.

The team also celebrated a big milestone for Dr Bright, who performed his very first cleft lip repair, under the watchful (and proud) eye of Dr Daniel, who is leading his training at Queen Elizabeth Teaching Hospital in Blantyre.

*Psycho-social provider Memory interacting with children and mothers during screening day. Photo: Margherita Mirabella*

A report from a surgical programme in Malawi wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the passionate team of child life specialists. Their role is fundamental to ensure the well-being of patients and their caretakers during the whole week. Since the first day, they introduced patients and their guardians to the different stages of the programme, explaining what to expect and ensuring that any questions was answered in a timely and professional manner. They also played a central role during the announcement day, when surgeons and patient coordinators have to explain to some parents and guardians why their child is not able to have surgery at this time.