Accomodation

Dress code

Recommended immunisations

BCG (many cases of open TB), Meningococcus, Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus, Rabies, Malaria prophylaxis the whole year round.

You are advised to drink filtered water (especially in the rainy season when tap-water is brown) or boiled water.

It is advisable to bring your own PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis for needle stick injury) if possible. About 60% of our patients are infected with the HIV-virus. The recommended prophylaxis in Malawi is a combination tablet zidovudine (300 mg)/ lamivudine (150 mg). This tablet is easily available. But in the western part of the world the PEP consist of zidovudine/ lamivudine plus nelfinavir (250 mg). The nelfinavir is not available here.

Accommodation

There is one guesthouse near the hospital with single and shared rooms and dormitory, shared bathrooms and a well-equipped kitchen and living room. You have to bring and prepare your own food. There is a fridge, freezer, oven and microwave available. If you provide ingredients (yeast, flour, oil, salt, sugar) someone can bake bread for you. For a small fee you can have washing done.

The amount of rooms is limited, the costs are about 6-8 US Dollar per night. Booking and payment is done through Mrs Veitch: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . There is no other suitable accommodation available in Nkhoma. If you intend to do a placement in Nkhoma Hospital, you should first confirm your placement with dr. de Jonge-Vink, before you book accomodation.

The socket type in Nkhoma is South-African (three round plugs).

Dress code

The Church for Central Africa Presbyterian requires women to wear dresses that cover the knees. Please wear a petticoat under light-coloured dresses. Malawians often wear several dresses on top of each other with a chitenje (wrap-around) on top.

Nurses wear closed shoes, a white dress (male nurses white trousers) and white top, a dark blue jersey in winter. Clinicians wear closed shoes and a white coat over their clothes. Please bring your own uniform.

For extra clarity: visiting ladies are expected to wear dresses/skirts while on the mission station. All clinicians are expected to wear white coats in the hospital and should bring them, on the job clinicians are expected to wear closed shoes.

As a medical student, please also bring your own stethoscope: you will need it!