One minor problem at Mtunthama

So I am finally able to get on internet as it has been sometime since I have been able to get access. I have finished my time at Mtunthama, St. Andrews hospital. I had a great time with my host family, the Minjale's.....except for one small mis-communication. As I was leaving for Lilongwe to meet up with a group of American Doctors for the next leg of my trip, Peter Minjale the clinical Officer, approached me (one hour before I was to leave) and said he had a problem. Initially, I thought it had something to do with communicating to the American doctors, but he did the typical Malawian way of beating around the bush until I realized that he was asking for money....

During the planning of my Malawian trip, it was at least clear to me that accomodations would be essentially free and allowing me to make contributions to food. Over the course of my four weeks stay I consistently gave gifts, both monetary (MK4500 = $40) and otherwise, to his family. In addition at the beginning of my stay, I asked him up front about offering to help pay for food and any other expenses and responded by saying that the hospital had a budget for visiters like me. So you can imagine how surprise I was when he mentioned for me to pay him one hour before I was to leave....he put me on the spot. When I asked about previous visiters he said the one visitor paid about MK10,000 (~$85) for one week. Since I stayed for about 4 weeks I decided to give him MK20,000 ($175) for a total monetary contribution during my stay of about MK24,500 ($200).......Now to put this in perspective, the starting Clinical Officers salary is about MK29,000 ($225) so I essentially I just paid him an entire months salary for my stay there.

I didn't mind paying him the money, but felt rather put off by him approaching me literally one hour before I was leaving asking for money. Why couldn't he have just been up front at the beginning during the emails or even when I asked him if I could contribute money for my stay? At least I would've been able to plan to give him the money.......

When I look at the overall experience that Peter and his family gave me, the money was well worth it. I had a wonderful time and learned a lot. I got to assist in draining abcess, burn and wound cleaning, helping with 5 baby deliveries, and finally get some clinical experience. I couldn't complain.....so for $200 it was worth it. However the way Peter approached me really put a damper and sour note on the experience. As you can see rather than write a blog about my expereinces at St. Andrews, I find myself immeadiately thinking about being ask for money.....I probably think twice about visiting St. Andrews Hospital again.

PS -- I didn't have time to proof read so I am sorry if there are any grammatical mistakes:-)