Scotland-Malawi Oxygen Supply Coordination Group
We are delighted to share an exclusive blog by the SMP’s Oxygen Supply Coordination Group Chair, Alberto Gregori, FRCSEd FRCSEng DFM Orthopaedic Surgeon, having personally toured the north of Malawi to assess the lasting impact of this appeal.
After a tour of the hospitals and clinics across the north of Malawi, seeing 600+ patients and performing 87 operations, Alberto Gregori reports that every Oxygen Concentrator he came across was functioning (something never before achieved), with clear evidence of systematic asset management and maintenance, thanks to this appeal. We understand well more than half a million dollars of equipment has been fixed and the SMP’s funds are still working hard in Malawi. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED!
In February 2021 more than 300 individuals and organisations donated a total of £40,500.09 to an emergency appeal managed by the Scotland Malawi Partnership’s Oxygen Supply Coordination Group. The SMP is delighted to share the final report from the Chair of its Oxygen Supply Coordination Group, Alberto Gregori, about the Emergency Oxygen Appeal. Find the report, video summary, images and full update here.
In September 2021, so impressed with the impact the SMP had with these funds, HRH Princess Anne made a generous donation to the appeal, which allowed a further 200kg of zeolite to be purchased. Read here.
The primary purpose of the Scotland-Malawi Oxygen Supply Coordination Group, is to help coordinate those involved in supporting the supply of oxygen in Malawian hospitals during the Covid pandemic.
Background
At its 25th January Covid coordination meeting, with Malawi’s Minister of Health, the Scottish Government’s International Development Minister, the Malawi Cross Party Group (Scottish Parliament), the Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group (UK Parliament) and 250 key stakeholders across Malawi and Scotland, the issue of oxygen supply was identified by many as a critical area in which further urgent support was needed.
The SMP offered to facilitate more detailed conversations in this area, with a meeting of specialists taking place on the 2nd February.
CLICK HERE for more information on this 2nd Feb meeting
CLICK HERE to watch the meeting (unfortunately missing first ten mins)
It was clear that there is real and immediate value in creating a space for sharing information about the oxygen supply issue between those involved: sharing updates about what equipment is lacking where, and who is doing what on the ground in response to this.
The SMP is therefore establishing a time-limited Scotland-Malawi Oxygen Supply Coordination Group to continue this exchange of vital information and support collaboration.
Leadership
The SMP is a membership organisation and this is a member and partner-led initiative, with members and key stakeholders volunteering time and expertise to manage this group. Mr Alberto Gregori, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with several decades of experience working with Africa (and more recently Malawi) in this area, has kindly volunteered to Chair the Group, bringing essential expertise and capacity to this initiative.
Aims of Group
The Scotland-Malawi Oxygen Supply Coordination Group has three strategic objectives:
- To facilitate the ongoing sharing of information between those involved in this area, to support a coordinated response in Malawi.
- To highlight relevant existing fundraising appeals which are delivering real and immediate impact in this area, such that the SMP can recommend and promote these campaigns to members looking to donate now.
- To explore the possibility of new collaborations between members and key partners: potentially harnessing expertise and experience from a range of key organisations, to offer time and cost-effective ways of increasing Malawi’s oxygen generation in both the short and long term. If a new collaboration is deemed genuinely useful, appropriate and viable, and if there is broad support from the relevant Scottish and Malawian organisations involved, and the Government of Malawi, the SMP would be willing to approach the Scottish and UK governments, as well as potentially other donors, to seek urgent funding. However, we must emphasise that there is absolutely no guarantee that any additional funding would be forthcoming.
Limitations of SMP support
The SMP is able to promote, host and support Zoom meetings of the Group, and offer modest administrative support for the Group’s Chair. But beyond this we are reliant on members with technical knowledge and expertise volunteering their time and input.
It is paramount that expectations are managed appropriately, with absolute clarity that:
- The SMP does not itself have funding to support this or any other operational work: the Partnership is purely a coordination network with a small secretariat.
- The SMP does not itself have any technical expertise in this area and is only able to collate that of its members and partners.
- The SMP does not have sufficient staffing/capacity to manage a major appeal or itself coordinate the delivery of work.
This initiative is therefore reliant on members, partners and stakeholders volunteering their time and expertise.
CLICK HERE for the Terms of Reference of this Coordination Group.
Contact
To learn more, or to join the Scotland-Malawi Oxygen Supply Coordination Group, please contact the Chair of the Group:
Mr Alberto Gregori, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
MB ChB Glasgow, FRCS Ed, FRCS Eng, FRCS Ed (Orth), DFM Glasgow
gregoribub[at]aol.com
Alberto Gregori, FRCSEng FRCSEd FRCSEd(Orth) DFM
CHAIR
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Ross Hall Hospital
Glasgow Chair Elect World Orthopaedic Concern UK Trustee FlySpec Zambia
Revd Susan Flynn, BA. MTh
Founder of Chifundo UK and Chanasa Malawi www.chanasachifundomalawi.org Visited Malawi since 2005 and spend 8 weeks a year undertaking voluntary work there. In previous professional life have had experience for 14 years working for Liverpool and Cheshire liaising between Health and Social Services and the Voluntary Sector. Researched, networked and used my contacts.
Stanley Onjezani Kenani, ACCA, CIA
Lead Organiser, Covid Response Private Citizens, Malawi
Andrew G. Mtewa, PHD
Andrew G. Mtewa trained in Medicinal Chemistry for his PhD at the University of Dundee in Scotland and at the Mbarara University of Sc. & Tech. in Uganda and for his MSc in Applied Chemistry at Chancellor College. His work focuses on designing of drug agents against various disease targets and their synthesis contributing to drug discovery and development. He is a book author and editor in drug discovery. Currently, he teaches Chemistry at the Malawi University of Science and Technology. He is contributing to this team in any way he possibly can. @andrew_mtewa.
Mr Tom Hunt
Medic Malawi Executive Director
Professor Paul Garside, PhD, FRSB, FRSE
Dean for Global Engagement (Africa & Middle East)
Dr Arie Glas, MD, DTMIH.
Dr Antonia Ho, MBChB PhD
Clinical Senior Lecturer/Consultant in Infectious Diseases, MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow.
Ann M. M. Phoya, PhD, PHN, RNM
Current Positions; Chair MaSP, Deputy Chief of Party, MSH/ ONSE USAID Health Activity, Deputy Chair, Special Law Commission for the Review of the Malawi Public Health Act, Adjunct Professor, Kamuzu College of Nursing, Community Health Nursing Science
Past Positions; Director, SWAP, Ministry of Health, President Association of Malawian Midwives, Full Bright Scholar in Residence & Adjunct Professor, Winston State Salem University, Northern Carolina, US
Gertrude Chirambo, MBA
Blantyre City Council Councillor, Chair Council Health Committee, Commissioner -Fast Track Cities Initiative, President Malawi Women Councillors, Steering Member, African Women Leaders Network.(AWLN) Malawi Chapter.
Dr Rachel Phillips
Rachel is a GP in Edinburgh and at the Fife Covid Assessment Centre with a first in International Health from UCL and experience with South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign during their governmental AIDS denialism. She maintains her passion for Malawi, the country of her birth, medical education and social justice.
Lucy C.K. Chitembeya, BS
Director Power Global Malawi Ltd.; Founder, CEO & Chairman of the Board, The Maravi Heritage Foundation - MHF, Founder, Malawi Congress Party Diaspora Network, MCPDN; Youth empowerment, politics, international human rights and civic engagements.
Ms. Habiba Osman
Currently, Executive Secretary of Malawi Human Rights Commission. Previously, Civil Liberties Committee and Norwegian Church Aid, UN Women Malawi office. Ms Osman has vast experience in the protection and promotion of human rights, political rights, civil rights and democracy. She is a well-versed professional in gender and human rights; and is a renowned human rights defender and activist in the country and globally.
Professor Wilson Lewis Mandala, PHD
Executive Dean of the Academy of Medical Sciences at MUST. Prof Mandala has a PhD in Malaria Immunology obtained from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), a Masters Degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Kings College, London and a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry from Chancellor College, University of Malawi.
Professor Mia Crampin MBChB, DTM&H, MSc, FFPHM
Director Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Professor of Global Health Epidemiology at University of Glasgow and Professor of Epidemiology at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Professor Heather A Cubie, MBE, PhD, FRCPath, FRSE
Chair, Scotland Malawi Partnership and Senior Advisor, Global Health Academy University of Edinburgh.
Edith Parker
Edith Parker is the Founder and Executive Director of Waterloo Advisory Services, trustee and treasurer of The Marr Manning Trust, Executive member of Malawi- UK Business Group and founder of the Malawi International Covid-19 Response Group. She was also the founder of Big Issue Malawi, the 5th street paper in Africa. Her career has mostly focused on the non-profit and philanthropy sector. www.edithparkeracma.com
Mr. Edgar Kapiza Bayani, MA Int. Dev.
Country Director, Community Energy Malawi
Professor Bryne Tendelo Ngwenya
Chair of Microbial Geochemistry, Visiting Professor, University of Newcastle
Mrs Jane Gebbie BVSc(Hons) MVSc CertLAS MRCVS
Secretary and Trustee, Kondanani UK (Registered charity England and Wales 1113426).
Nelson Nyoloka, BPharm(Hons), MSc Clinical Pharmacology(MedSci)-current student UofG Scotland.
Lecturer, College of Medicine-University of Malawi. Trustee of MalDent Student Aid.
Dr. Cathy Ratcliff
Director of International Programmes and CEO, EMMS International
Ron Nkomba
Board Chairman, Democracy Works Foundation (DWF)
Ambassador Ron Nkomba (Rtd), became the first Malawian Clerk to the Cabinet in August, 1969. He has had a distinguished career as a Malawian diplomat and Electoral Commissioner, and is currently involved in the establishment of the National Peace Architecture (NPA).
Brenda Mwale
The Malawi-Scotland Partnership, Youth Ambassador