RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has joined an international research partnership with Northwestern University and the Paediatric Surgery Trust in Blantyre, Malawi, to reinforce ultrasound diagnostics for frontline healthcare providers at district hospitals, through a $250,000 implementation research project funded over 24 months.

Named the Malawi District Hospital Essential Ultrasound Training Programme for Surgical Clinical Officers, this initiative will establish, implement and evaluate a training and supervision programme for non-physician clinicians who work in health facilities across the Malawi district.

The programme will help these clinicians to make quicker, safer decisions at the point of care. This is needed particularly in rural settings where access to radiology support is limited, and therefore patients face lengthy delays in diagnosis of common health conditions.

Training will focus on practical ultrasound skills that match everyday clinical realities, such as supporting pregnancy assessment, identifying common abdominal conditions and kidney problems and detecting fluid in the abdomen. Alongside training, the project will generate evidence on how point-of-care ultrasound can be effectively integrated into routine district-level healthcare and sustained at scale.

RCSI will lead the implementation research component, drawing on its extensive experience designing, implementing and evaluating health systems interventions across sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Jakub Gajewski, Principal Investigator and Programme Director for Research at the RCSI Institute of Global Surgery, said: “Over many years, our partnership with colleagues in Malawi has shown that sustainable change comes from long-term collaboration and locally led innovation. This project builds directly on the systems, relationships and implementation experience developed through previous programmes, and expands our work into one of the most critical gaps in district healthcare delivery, access to diagnostics.”

This project marks the beginning of a new collaboration with Northwestern University. Combining their expertise in global surgery, radiology, implementation research and clinical training, together, they aspire to strengthen point-of-care ultrasound skills among frontline providers, to reduce diagnostic delays, improve referral pathways and support safer and quicker care for patients in rural Malawi.

The funding was provided by The Havey Institute for Global Health, who are committed to the mission of growing knowledge, capacity and equity in global health through transdisciplinary research and education.