Malawi
Pathology
Department of Pathology at Haukeland University Hospital (HUH) has been collaborating with Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) since 2008, and the intent is to support the project in orthopedics/surgery.
In 2011, a new Department of Pathology (histology) at KCH was opened, and there has been an exchange of personnel between the HUH and KCH with focus on competence building, for example development of methods and procedures at the laboratory.
Pathology is an essential part of a medical training program and is a requirement for the recognition of the surgical and neurosurgical specialization. The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) requires a functioning Department of Pathology in order to recognize KCH as a training institution for medical specialists.
There is still a great need for support to the development of pathology at KCH, especially because there are few technicians with this type of experience. In addition, the lab at KCH experiences an increased amount of various samples for analysis, from both KCH as well as from other nearby hospitals.
Today the project is a part of a tripartite collaboration, and the pathology project will exchange personnel between HUH and KCH. The aim is “Capacity and competence building in traumatology, emergency medicine and pathology”, and the new exchange program will continue to focus on education and training of local staff at each institution.