Kamuzu Central

Right next door to my usual clinic, The Baylor Children's Center of Excellence, sits Kamuzu Central Hospital. It is one of the 4 largest hospitals in Malawi and acts as the referral center for the Central Region. The past two weeks, I worked as the HIV consultant for the hospital caring for between twenty and thirty children.

I'm often asked what it is like, but I fear that I would not serve anyone well by writing a blog post about the experience--most importantly the patients. I'd like to find a way to tell their stories without trivializing or over-dramatizing them. No doubt it would be easy to fall into quick cliche.

In the mean time, below are pictures a wonderful medical student took of the hospital as we worked together. Working at Kamuzu has been the most rewarding time I've had in Malawi and also the hardest.

The Baylor Children's Center of Excellence

Between the three children's wards of Kamuzu Central Hospital, the central courtyard serves also as a playground.

During malaria season, the hospital doubles its capacity and often 2-3 children share a bed.

This is ward A where the sickest children stay.

They come to the treatment room to get any procedure done. Most of these patients are receiving IV quinine, the treatment for severe malaria.

A teacher hold schools each afternoon in the courtyard for those children who are at the hospital for long periods of time. Usually, they have cancer or TB.

This is what I see every morning coming into the hospital--moms washing clothes

and babies.