malawi

Malawi is a beautiful but small country in southern Africa, surrounded by Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. It has the third largest lake in the whole of Africa, Lake Malawi, which covers a fifth of the country.

Malawi is called 'the warm heart of Africa': after its remarkably friendly people. It has population of around 13.6 million (2006). It has been a multi-party democracy since 1994, after a long period of dictatorship under Dr Hastings Banda.

Despite its beauty, Malawi is a very poor country and its economy relies on foreign aid and agriculture, particularly tobacco. Average life expectancy at birth is only 47.6 years for both sexes. Gross national income per capita is $690.

The College of Medicine was set up in 1991 as part of the University of Malawi. It is based in Blantyre, the largest city in Malawi and the commercial centre. Initially, the College could only offer the clinical phase of training, and students were sent to South Africa and the UK in order to do their preclinical years. Now all five years of the medical course can be completed in Malawi, with clinical attachments in rural districts and at Queen Elizabeth teaching hospital in Blantyre. The College currently offers degrees in medicine, pharmacy, medical laboratory technology, and a master’s programme in public health.

From just a handful of students in the beginning, the College now enrols 60 medical students per year and has produced over 250 qualified doctors. It has expanded considerably over the last few years, due to funding from the UK and Norway.

 
^{Source: World Bank Country Profile. www.worldbank.org}