We Have Gauze!

Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe … Suzi Stephens RN and Marissa Scott, both with the Malawi Project, had been touring various floors and units at the Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. This is the largest hospital in the country, a tier one facility. For many it is the last resort for those seeking heath care in this poor, destitute nation. It also frequently runs short of supplies for the over 1,000 patients that crowd its wards and sleep in it’s hallways.

Reaching the Burns Unit a young man caught their attention. His name is Nelson they were stopped by a young man, Nelson whose story can be seen on this site: malawiproject.org. After being electrocuted, but surviving, his sparkling smile and personality, in spite of his situation, caught their attention. His well reasoned intellect, in spite of being just 16, and his outgoing qualities made them stay to talk with him. Suzi was immediately drawn to him and his mother, and a long conversation followed. The next day they visited him. During the visit they talked with Charge Nurse Tayanika Zdinge (pictured here), and Matron Gift Gumboh, (pictured here).

Suddenly someone arrived with a mid-sized box of supplies. One look inside revealed a box of gauze, critically needed in the Burns Unit. To the American’s surprise the Charge Nurse reached out and gathered up 3 rolls of the gauze, (all that she was allowed) and hugged them close like a new mother with her brand new baby. “We have gauze,” she declared. “We have gauze,” rushing out to tell the department?

“What do you mean you have gauze”, seemed to be the question on the hearts of the Americans? “Does not every hospital have a large stock of gauze in the burns unit?”

If you are in a first world nation you answer ‘yes’, then take the gauze for granted. It is sold in every drug store, convenience store, and big box store in America, as well as in Central Stores in every American hospital. Most carry more than enough to meet every possible need. This is not the case in Malawi.