Nkhoma now has a modern ‘phaco’ cataract surgery service!  The first permanent such unit in Malawi.  Fantastic.

Although the technique we use for cataract surgery for thousands of operations each year is very very good, and we can perform an operation to treat blindness in 7-8 minutes; the availability of ‘phaco’ allows for a much smaller incision in the eye, and a faster visual recovery.  Also less astigmatism (and need for glasses) and glare after surgery.  Some of the really good artificial lenses we can use, have a built in UV filter to protect the retina from the sun!  Which is nice.

In the end, I am so happy to have had the chance to bring ‘phaco’ to rural Malawi.  And the big thing is we will now have the chance to earn a little money for the hospital, in order to continue to go into more villages and screen people with blindness, which is great.  It is thanks to CBM supporters that this initiative was even possible.

After 18 months of planning, redrafting the plan, seeking advice(from the clinical and business side of things), getting the equipment and consumables together; we are here!  Eesh, it was kind of a long haul, but very much worth it.

Newspaper Article

We had a bit opening ceremony at Nkhoma last Tuesday with singing and dancing and drums and speeches.  Very colourful and attracted a big crowd.

I’ll keep you posted on how it develops.

Chongoni Rock Art, Dedza

Just 45 minutes drive south is Dedza, the next market town along the road to Blantyre.  If you turn off the main road and drive on the gravel road a few miles towards the Mozambique border, through villages and around a few hills, you come across an old church where the road ends.

Beyond this, its only a 30 minute hike up a totally random hill, with a local guide from the village who will spot you and be over to show you the way before you park.

Through a couple of maize fields, up and then to a rocky outcrop.

Chongoni rock art

This is a newly designated UNICEF World Heritage Site, the second in Malawi.

Stunning rock paintings some a few hundred years old.  Others a thousand years old.  In the middle of a hill, with no-one around.  Just stunning.

Of course there is also Liwonde National Park, Mount Mulange, Nyika plateau. And of course Lake Malawi.

Kasankha Bay, and the reflection of a giant baobab

The third largest lake in Africa often seems like the sea.  I love heading down when we can for a weekend relaxing by the beach, and enjoying the serenity.

Thumbe island sunset, Cape Maclear

Thursday 14th is World Sight Day!  An international day of awareness to focus attention on the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

80% of global blindness is avoidable.

4% of the World’s population are blind or severely visually impaired.  That’s four times the population of the UK!  It’s truly staggering, but we are also celebrating.  Yes there is a lot of need indeed, but we are winning the war on blindness.

It is incredible to think that CBM have with 102 years’ of disability and development experience and expertise performed over 10 million cataract operations.  And together with the WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, the burden of avoidable blindness is being tackled.  We need to carry on this work, and increase even more as we count down to 2020.

Mrs Samuel in her village before coming to hospital

Mrs Samuel back at home, a month after cataract surgery

But, it’s numbers.  Numbers that I can’t really get my head around.  What really counts to me, the staff at Nkhoma, and most importantly the patient… is that the 10 minutes, or even 6 minutes it takes for that cataract operation (and £20 donated by a kind supporter of CBM) will change that individuals life.  Forever.

New sight, New Life

Or as we say in Nkhoma…

Kuona kwa tsopano

Moyo wa tsopano

In line, waiting for surgery

Mrs Kadzichi back at home in the village

On the morning that they went to the airport, Erik wanted to climb Nkhoma mountain one last time.  So up at 4:30, four of us made it to the top just after sunrise.

Nkhoma Mountain at dawn

Their service will be missed at the hospital, but also Jenn and I will particularly miss Erik and Naomi.  It was Naomi that was matchmaker for us in the beginning!

We have done our first few cataract operations.  I also saw a 12 year old boy who had a penetrating  pen injury to his eye.  Managed to sort it out in theatre.

Steve and Kambewa are driving 200 miles to Mangotchi and Machinga, near the lakeshore, tomorrow to meet the district health officer for his permission to work for patients in his area.  It’s actually a very under-served area of Malawi, so a perfect place to start our outreach activities this year.

We have had fantastic rains here in Nkhoma, interspersed with beautiful warm sunshine, so the maize crops in the villages are doing really well.  In fact the rains and storms were so good here at Nkhoma, I had lightning strike my house twice last Friday.

So here we are.  All safe and well; scorpions, spiders, malaria, tame snakes and lizards, and my trusty dogs Ellie and Malu; ready to tackle the house; and with the amazing staff at Nkhoma, the year ahead.

We are all missing Nick.  And we continue to pray daily for him and his family.  The work that he built up here absolutely must continue.

Sadly the gentleman, Mr Efuloni, who came to Nkhoma from Salima last year, having been referred by the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) has died.  He was a wonderful man, a village chief.  The cataract surgery on his first eye was the 25,000th cataract operation at Nkhoma since 2000.  I remember his smile very well after we operated his second eye!

before the cataract operation

Mr Efuloni after surgeries

He had spent the last few months with his family in his Salima village.  But, as a small blessing to his family and Mr Efuloni, he could see his family, his children and grandchildren; and his wife.

Let’s get this year started, trying to help more people like Mr Efuloni who have been robbed of their sight.