Postscript....

As mentioned above I decided to continue working with the Raven Trust and have managed to collect quite a large amount of X-ray related items. When our house started to look like a warehouse John Challis arranged to visit us and take the collected items back to the Raven Trust HQ in Scotland.

Whilst John was with us we discussed the training course again and the possibility of a second visit to Malawi in June/July this year (2009). We agreed that both my wife Judith and I would visit Malawi for three weeks from 26th June to 17th July with the training course running from 30th June to 2nd July. Mornings are to be spent in the classroom and afternoons undertaking practical work.

Most of the equipment that had been collected would by that time have reached Malawi and would be available if required. Judith could as a radiographer help with parts of the course and also help the local radiographers. Some of whom have limited training.

Arrangements were made for the trip and the course and we left the UK on 26th June. The course was well attended (14 technicians) from across the country and proved to be a success. From the feedback questionnaire we received all the attendees would have liked the course to be longer and would like to do a further more advanced course in future.

We travelled to four further hospitals and X-ray departments to undertake repairs and servicing, finally managing a three night break on the shores of Lake Malawi before returning home on the 17th July.

From our trip we have concluded that Malawi desperately needs training courses in all the engineering disciplines required in hospitals. Expertise to provide help and guidance in the installation of hospital equipment is also in short supply.

We are hoping to return to Malawi in May 2010 to install X-ray equipment at Embangweni and to service some of the equipment mentioned previously.

Acknowledgements

My wife Judith for her help and patience

John and Sue Challis for their help in arranging my trip and Johns help in Malawi

Bob Baxter for his help at Ekwendeni

John Gulule of CHAM for his help and hard work

The hospital staff and technicians at Livingstonia and Ekwendeni for their help

Geoff Oliver for his help and advice on the equipment at Livingstonia

Richard Hatch for his help with the circuit diagrams for Ekwendeni

And finally those individuals, companies and hospitals who have made donations of equipment and offered advice since my visit to Malawi