Malawi – SOS Medical and Social Centres

In Malawi there are currently three Social Centres and two Medical Centres for children and the local community, including those in Blantyre, Mzuzu and Lilongwe.  Many SOS Social Centres operate via Family Strengthening Programmes, which aim to support the wider community.  Medical Centres provide treatments and services to the local community.  Below is some information about some of the Centres that SOS Children runs in Malawi:

SOS Medical Centres around Malawi: In-Depth

Blantyre

Description of SOS Medical Centre:

The SOS Social Centre is strongly linked to the SOS Medical Centre, which puts a significant focus on HIV/AIDS and the related impacts of this pandemic. Additionally, a rehabilitation programme for children with disabilities was established. The SOS Medical Centre comprises three consultation rooms, a drug store, two treatment rooms, a counselling room, a laboratory, an x-ray room, three therapy rooms and a library.

Work and Achievements:

3040 clients benefited from outpatient services in terms of emergency care, medical treatment, counseling and referral for specialized treatment when necessary.

Paediatric clinic continued and an average of 102 children received the attention from visiting paediatric consultants from QECH. The aim of this clinic is to provide an opportunity for SOS children and those from the surrounding community access necessary specialized medical attention thereby reducing the distance mothers walk to referral hospital.

Lilongwe

Description of SOS Medical Centre:

The SOS Medical Centre, Lilongwe opened in 1997. It has about 16,000 patients and fills a major gap in the local healthcare system, focusing on the treatment and prevention of disease. The SOS Medical Centre has launched a number of intiatives to meet the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children and their families in the local community. These include counselling, education and advice on the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS related illnesses.

In addition the SOS Medical Centre provides Anti-Retroviral drugs, cares for AIDS patients and supports their families. The SOS Medical Centre also has a programme for children with special needs offering physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.The SOS Medical Centre also provides advice and support, including medicines to smaller medical centres in rural areas.

SOS Social Centres around Malawi: In-Depth

Lilongwe

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In January 2002, an SOS Social Centre became operational, coordinating an AIDS outreach programme in the vicinity. This family strengthening programme reaches up to 2,000 people per year and offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional and health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children.

Work and Achievements:

SOS Lilongwe Family Strengthening Programmes as an outreach programme, striving to keep children within a caring family environment, is still operating on a maximum of 2000 children as prescribed by KDI. Out of the total number, 1100 are males and 900 females. These children are from 606 families (152 males and 454 females).

Mzuzu

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

Since 2004, an SOS Social Centre has been coordinating an AIDS outreach programme in the vicinity. This family strengthening programme reaches out to up to 2,000 people per year and offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional and health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children. The programme also aims at linking families with income generating activities and offers help to improve the parents’ parenting skills.

Work and Achievements:

Mzuzu FSP has within the reporting period of its first year under the 2009-2013 NORAD Agreement Framework, implemented several interventions towards a significant  contribution in ensuring that families of all 1019 boys and 981girls participating in the programme have access essential services required to fulfil their children’s developmental needs and rights. A total of 1919 children (51% being boys), 943 male caregivers and 977 female caregivers have been supported with insecticide treated nets towards the reduction of malaria cases. The programme has provided nutritional support to the 279 boys and 269 girls that are either chronically ill or malnourished.

A total of 1433 boys and 1244 girls (25% being programme participating children), from the 3 primary schools, with support from Mzuzu FSP, have participated in a national education day event organised by Ministry of Education. The event focused on advocating for child’s increased interest in education and promoting the delivery of quality basic education by duty bearers. The community based capacity in the management of primary education has improved following the training of 45 members (84% being women) from the 3 Parent Teacher Associations. A total of 35 boys and 31 girls undergoing secondary school education have been supported with school fees in addition to the 1 boy under tertiary education. With support from the Ministry of Education, 672 programme participating boys and 821 programme participating girls have attended life skills lessons in their respective primary schools

Blantyre

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

The family strengthening programme coordinated by the SOS Social Centre reaches out to up to 1,000 people per year and offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional and health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children. The programme also aims at linking families with income generating activities and offers help to improve the parents’ parenting skills.