International Rotations - Malawi

Submitted by
Dr. Christian Lopes
(Former Urban Resident / Current OB Fellow)

Our trip to Malawi this year was quite the adventure. My wife and I were both able to get plugged in with the Nkhoma Mission Hospital through different avenues. I worked predominantly with the Samaritan’s Purse Cholera team, and she worked with the orthopedics department. On average, I saw about 15-20 patients daily in the Cholera Ward. This involved reviewing the patient’s intact chart and determining if their medical management and fluid resuscitation were appropriate. The cholera epidemic peaked upon our arrival, so our help in the ward was greatly appreciated. This trip definitely impacted me personally. I felt like I was able to get a better understanding of tropical medicine and serving overseas. The resources in the hospital were limited, so we had to be strategic about what medications and labs we ordered. Unfortunately, the team at the hospital wasn’t able to save all of the people that arrived with severe Cholera cases, but the effort of Samaritan's Purse and others significantly helped decrease the mortality rate associated with the epidemic. It was educational to be a member of a response team that was focused on optimizing triage techniques and resource allocation.