Rachael is pregnant with her first child - good news for her and her family in northern Malawi. However, when she recently went for prenatal care to the Ngodzi Health Center, she received devastating news.
A Canadian staff member from Canadian NGO Lifeline Malawi, the organization that operates the hospital, was visiting Ngodzi when he met Rachael. He reports: "(When she arrived at the clinic), she looked healthy and was excited about her pregnancy. I watched the blood get taken from Rachael's finger. We all watched - Diston the hospital medic, Rachael, and me - as we saw the little "+" take form. As Rachael learned that she had tested positive for HIV, she sank against the wall and began to cry.
"Diston took hold of Rachael's hand and began to speak to her gently, encouraging her about the ARV program and how he has seen so many people do so well and live active, productive lives. He told her about the mother-to-child infection prevention treatments that LM offers and how successful they are. Her baby could be born without the virus. As she responded to Diston's compassion and listened to what he told her, she had hope in her eyes."
Rachael's story is not unusual. Malawi is a country that is struggling on many levels: it has one of the highest infection rates of HIV/AIDS, an exploding population with limited land, hunger, and desperate poverty. Malawi's population of over 14 million lives in an area slightly larger than New Brunswick.
Canadian physician Dr. Chris Brooks has been in Malawi for more than a decade now, providing health care to the most vulnerable people in the rural northern communities. Lifeline Malawi, the NGO he founded, has grown to operate two clinics with dozens of staff and international volunteers, and a variety of programs, including support for orphans (there are one million in Malawi), counselling for people living with HIV/AIDS, and post-delivery care for mothers and babies.
HPIC has been sending shipments of medical aid to Lifeline Malawi regularly since 2003. To date in 2009, HPIC has sent close to $300,000 of medicine requested by Dr. Brooks. Without a range of essential medicines, "I couldn't work," he says.
In a recent e-mail to HPIC, George Mkondiwa, Chairman of the Board of Lifeline Malawi and Principle Secretary for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, explained that "Lifeline Malawi is now part and parcel of the Malawi health delivery system."
"For instance, the recent expansion into the provision of maternity services at both the Ngodzi and Kasese sites will ensure that the citizens of these communities have access to these desperately needed services. The current statistic of 807 maternal deaths for every 100,000 babies born will be significantly reduced thanks to NGOs like Lifeline Malawi.
"On behalf of the Government of Malawi, I wish to thank Health Partners International of Canada for providing Lifeline Malawi with thousands of dollars of donated medicines each year. Thanks to HPIC, over 150,000 people every year are being provided with free medicines. "Bringing hope and healing to Malawi" may be the vision of Lifeline Malawi, but it is shared equally with organizations such as HPIC and the Government of Malawi.
"I urge you to continue with this noble task which is ensuring continued health for Malawians."
HPIC expects to send at least one more shipment of medicines to Lifeline Malawi in 2009.
Health Partners International of Canada is officially registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a charity. As such, HPIC may issue a tax receipt for qualifying donations to Canadian donors. Registration Number: 119031524RR0001
