Navigation


About The Billy Clinic

The original clinic building opened in 2004 providing primary care medical services to the local population of Cape Maclear. 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.

From a very small beginning in 2004, the Billy Clinic has served the community in Cape Maclear for more than 18 years. Initially the clinic was located in a single building, staffed by one volunteer doctor, one volunteer nurse and 10 local support staff. 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 members of the community. For the majority of the population this was their first opportunity to access medical treatment for their illnesses. Today the clinic operates 7 days a week on a 24 hour basis and has a number of permanent staff alongside the volunteer doctors and nurses who come for periods of up to six months. We can offer some surgical procedures.

Opening at eight every morning, staffed by a doctor and two nurses, the clinic was, from day one, extremely busy. Patients travelled for many miles to see the doctors and receive treatment and medication and soon it became apparent that an in-patient facility would greatly improve the patient care provided.

Depending totally on fundraising activities to survive, the decision to build a further facility added considerably to the annual budget and also added further pressure to recruit more volunteers to staff the new facility. However with generosity of people in Ireland and the US in 2007 a small in-patient unit was added and the clinic now provides 24 hour medical care on an in-patient and out-patient basis to the largely subsistence farming and fishing population.

During the dry season an average of 80 patients attend the clinic every day but this can rise to 120 during the wet season. The conditions most frequently seen are HIV/Aids and Malaria and associated diseases such as asthma, dysentery and malnutrition.

In 2014 the Trust opened a small operating theatre and began eye surgery at the clinic. The theatre was funded by Dr Meyer a visiting ophthalmic surgeon from South Africa and a number of other supporters of the clinic including Ann and Denis Davidson from Blantyre. Ophthalmic services are very poor across wide areas of Africa and severe eye conditions are common. This is the only clinic of its kind for a radius of 300m kilometres. Eye surgery takes place at the clinic every 3 months. Through this programme, sight has been restored to numerous old and not so old patients in the community. Patients are referred from the general medical clinic during the previous three months. The referred patients are seen at the clinic on Thursday mornings and surgery commences on Friday morning. On Saturdays patients are reviewed post op and allowed to return home. Dr Meyer gives his services and those of his specially trained nurses and all the necessary medication free of charge to the eye patients who attend for treatment..

We, at the clinic are always seeking ways to improve the services which we offer. Our small operating theatre is available to visiting surgeons who may wish to work with us for short periods of time.

In April 2017, the clinic was once again extended with a third building added to the existing two. Working with Baylor College of Medicine USA, the Trust offers a wide range of HIV/AIDS services. Counselling, testing, treatment and follow-up services are all available at the clinic. With more than 1,800 patients attending this service, each month, the Trust continues the battle against HIV/ AIDS in the community.

Acknowledging the keystone of sustainable development and recognising the need to further expand the services at the clinic, the decision was taken in 2019 to seek and develop a partnership with a local organisation capable of fulfilling both objectives. For nearly 20 years all expenses at the clinic were met by fundraising by one person. While this mechanism was very successful, it was not possible to continue expansion without a bigger, well -funded partner. In 2021 a partnership was formed with The Christian Health Association of Malawi CHAM under the umbrella of the Diocese of Mangochi. This partnership has somewhat changed the staffing structure at the clinic. Three local clinical officers, three nurses, nutrition advisors and laboratory staff plus a number of support staff are now employed at the clinic. They are funded in total by CHAM. Dr Tendai Mussa is our clinic director. The trust continues to fund the senior management staff and some other ancillary non-medical staff employed at the clinic. This team is supported by our volunteer medical staff who join us for periods of four months or more. Working with the Irish College of General Practitioners, doctors who are doing further training as General Practitioners are permitted to spend some time as volunteers at the clinic.

Direct support from The Billy Riordan Memorial Trust continues.

The sourcing and procurement of drugs continues to be both difficult and expensive in Malawi. Further support for the clinic in this area is now provided by The Trust. Drugs for several NCD clinics held monthly are funded by the Trust including asthma, hypertension, epilepsy and diabetes clinics The bi- annual schools bilharzia treatment programme is also funded by the Trust. All drugs and medication are provided free to in- patients. This programme funded by BillysmalawiprojectUSA.

Our partnership with CHAM has allowed the Trust to focus funds on capital expenditure in a way that was not previously possible. The purchase of some new diagnostic and monitoring equipment has taken place and further purchases are imminent.

Accommodation for local medical staff is an ongoing issue which needs to be resolved. Once suitable land has been purchased, The Trust will undertake to build a number of houses for our permanent medical staff.

This change of structure has been a necessary and successful development for the clinic. The construction of a maternity unit is in the planning stages. New health programmes including a women’s health programme have commenced and further programmes are envisioned.

The Clinic today is staffed primarily by local medical staff. In addition there is a small number of volunteer medical personnel. Doctors, nurses, dentists ,physio and occupational therapists and pharmacists are welcomed. If you are a qualified, registered professional in any of these fields and could give 4/5 months volunteer service to the clinic, we would love to hear from you.

News

The sourcing and procurement of drugs continues to be both difficult and expensive in Malawi.

Patients presenting with Covid-19 symptoms have not, so far, been seen at the clinic. Social distancing, hand washing and community awareness campaigning is ongoing as we hope to avoid the virus.

With the ongoing drastic reduction of supply of electricity from the national grid, funded by Billys USA, we are solar powered in the clinic.