From Zimbabwe to Malawi: Opening an Office in Lilongwe
By Patricia Mbetu
Lilongwe, Malawi
November 11, 2009

It has been a year since I transferred from Zimbabwe to Malawi to open a new country office on behalf of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation in Lilongwe. After supporting the Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH) in the development of a prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services program in 2001, the Foundation was invited to continue its PMTCT efforts with the establishment of an office in Lilongwe. The initiative was developed through a partnership with a leading local organization, the Lilongwe Development Trust Fund (LMRTF).

Although this program is much smaller than the one I led as country director for Zimbabwe, I have found that the challenges remain. When I arrived in Malawi, I tried to settle in, but soon realized I no longer had the luxury of the strong team I had grown accustomed to in Zimbabwe. Putting a team together quickly amidst high expectations to deliver the PMTCT and pediatric care expertise that the Foundation has developed in other countries, I had to rise to the occasion. Drawing from my experiences heading an effective PMTCT program in Zimbabwe, I began the development of our Lilongwe office and services. 

Malawi Country Director Patricia Mbetu (front, at right) with her staff at the Foundation's office in Lilongwe.

First on my list was to locate housing and office space, a more difficult feat than expected. At one point I almost considered becoming an LMRTF staff member so that I could continue working from their guest office! Through help from the MOH, LMRTF, and my daughter, Tendayi, I was eventually able to settle into Lilongwe.

Prior to having a local team in place, I received support from the Foundation’s country support team, led by Penny Smith in Washington, D.C., and the global technical team, to move the program forward. Meanwhile, I worked on developing my own technical team. Through the assistance of local partners and the MOH, the Foundation hired our first Malawi staff member in the spring of 2009. Today, our Malawi team is steadily growing and we plan to hire additional staff soon.In addition to assisting the LMRTF technically and financially, the Foundation’s presence in Lilongwe supports national PMTCT zonal mentorship and supervision efforts, in addition to increasing PMTCT services in Malawi’s Central West Zone. Collaborating with other organizations to deliver a balanced program that is sustainable, we are present at 42 sites in the Lilongwe district and have carried out PMTCT capacity assessments in the Dedza and Ntcheu districts. Additionally, the program participates in the nationwide development of PMTCT and infant care innovations. As the program grows, we look forward to continuing this collaboration and delivering more expertise and improvements that have been tried and tested through operations research in other countries where the Foundation works.

On behalf of the team in Malawi, I am proud to say that we are confident that we are contributing meaningfully to the growth of the national PMTCT and pediatric care program in Malawi. As we move forward, we hope to secure more funding so that we can meet the needs of developing local capacities to implement a sound PMTCT and pediatric care program.

Patricia Mbetu is the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation country director in Malawi. Prior to beginning her new role in Lilongwe, Patricia worked for the Foundation in Zimbabwe.