The Billy Riordan Memorial Clinic opened in Cape Maclear, Mangochi District in 2004.
At the time there was no medical treatment available in the community of approximately 16,000 people. Men, women and children died on a daily basis from largely preventable and treatable diseases. The nearest district hospital is a one and a half hour difficult journey away and was out of reach for most villagers. Today The Billy Clinic remains the only medical care available in the area.
The clinic offers 24 hour medical services to the remote rural community on the shores of Lake Malawi. The next nearest medical facility is located 25 kilometres away at Monkey Bay Community Hospital.
They need volunteer Doctors and Nurses to help them deliver their services, a minimum commitment of 4 months is required, accommodation is provided and membership of a medical or nursing council is a prerequisite. They run an elective program for medical students – a medical degree with some post-graduate experience is required
They are also currently recruiting a Clinical/Medical Director for a 12-month minimum contract.
The immediate catchment area has a population of 18,000. There are several smaller villages in the area with no healthcare services thus the number of patients seen annually at The Billy Clinic is 19,000 to 20,000. About 50% of those seen are under the age of 15 years.
The clinic employs 40 people including administrative and domestic staff. Medical personnel includes volunteer doctors and nurses primarily from Europe, local medical staff and 3 permanent long term ex-pat staff including two nurses and the current Medical Director.
The following services are offered:
- Out-patient department offering 24-hour service.
- A small inpatient unit with 15 beds. Patient care attendants, drawn from the local population, are trained at the clinic and receive ongoing training as part of CPD. A number of PCAs have subsequently trained as clinical officers and nurses having received their initial medical training at the clinic.
- Non-communicable diseases clinic one day per week.
- Daily Out Patient consultations are done with 2/3 clinicians.
- There is a small lab managed by a local technician
- Under-fives feeding programme.
- An eye clinic offering cataract surgery is available 3 or 4 times per year. This programme is managed by a visiting eye surgeon from South Africa.
- Working with Baylor College of Medicine Malawi, the clinic holds ART clinics 3 days per week. HIV testing and ART follow up is done by locally trained staff.
- The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) offers a four month placement programme at the clinic for its GP trainees. Prior to Covid-19, the clinic welcomed three trainees each year. It is anticipated that the programme will resume as soon as possible.
- An elective programme is offered to medical students. This has proved very popular with students from medical schools worldwide attending over the last 12 years
For more information or to apply please contact Mags Riordan, Founder/CEO mags@billysmalawiproject.org