Friends of Sick Children in Malawi

The priority areas for the project supported by the charity are:

training & development of Malawian personnel

upgrading infrastructure

on-going Drugs and Equipment and Medical Consumables

Some indicative cost estimates:

Drugs

Cardiac clinic - £1,250/$1,750 per annum (mostly digoxin, captopril or enalapril, spironolactone)

Neurology / epilepsy clinic - £1,525/$2,135 per annum (sodium valproate, carbamazepine)

Sickle cell clinic - £625/$875 per annum (hydroxyurea)

Diabetes clinic - £625/$875 per annum (insulin)

Neonatal follow up clinic - £ 625/$875 per annum (mostly iron and vitamins for our ex-prem babies)

General and asthma clinic - £315/$440 for steroid inhalers

Inpatient drugs - £1,525/$2,135 (amoxicillin or augmentin suspension, IV cloxacillin, ciprofloxacin suspension)

Oxygen cylinders - £625/$875 per annum (we use these to transport patients)

Lactogen (for orphaned babies): £1,250/$1750 per annum

HIV positive children - Fluconazole suspension £ 625/$875 per annum

Equipment

Blood sugar monitors and sticks. Many children who are ill have a low blood sugar and it is important to test it in an emergency. Monitors (20) and sticks for a year estimated at £1,785 ($2,500).

Good quality blood pressure / saturation monitors (mobile, on stands).

Each costs £1,425/$2,000 for a reasonable quality one. We need another 3 for the neonatal unit to cover all our wards.

Oxygen concentrators. We have no ‘piped gases’ – rather we get oxygen from machines which extract it from the air. Several are getting old and are in need of repair or replacement. We need 5 and a basic new one costs about £2,142/$3,000 including the shipping etc.  A portable one that will reduce our need for cylinders costs £2,360/$3,300. We could really do with 2 portable ones.

Suction machines. We need 10 manual / foot pump ones. Each costs about £145/$200

Vital Signs Monitors. £1,950/$2,750 each

Admission stationary. £1,075/$1,500 per annum

Equipment that is being disposed of in the UK or elsewhere, but we will gladly use:

• Drip stands
• Metal trolleys
• Ultrasound machines (but please contact us first!)
• Patient trolleys
• Wheelchairs
• IV cannulas – 22 or 24 g
• Intraosseous needles
• Phototherapy machines

Maintenance

This is extremely difficult to budget for as reliable engineers are scarce. However, we could spend £3,600/$5,000 a year on this extremely easily should we find a suitable partner.