Malawi District Hospital Essential Ultrasound Training Programme
This project aims to strengthen access to essential diagnostic services in rural Malawi by building point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) capacity among surgical clinical officers working in district hospitals.
In Malawi, where specialist radiology services are extremely limited and district hospitals are often the first point of care for over 9 million people, improving diagnostic capability at this level is critical for timely clinical decision-making and appropriate referral.
The programme, led by RCSI and Northwestern University Radiology in partnership with Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (Blantyre), combines technical training with an implementation-focused approach. It is designed to equip non-physician clinicians – who deliver the majority of surgical care in Malawi – with practical ultrasound skills that can be applied directly in routine clinical settings.
The intervention follows a structured model, including:
- A train-the-trainer programme at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital to establish a sustainable local faculty.
- Intensive hands-on training for surgical clinical officers.
- A 12-month district outreach programme providing on-the-job supervision, mentorship and continuous professional development.
The project builds on RCSI’s long-standing work in task-sharing and surgical systems strengthening in Sub-Saharan Africa. By embedding training within existing service delivery and focusing on real-world implementation, the programme aims to ensure both relevance and sustainability. It builds on the success of COST-Africa, SURG-Africa and KidSURG.
The study will evaluate the feasibility, adoption, and impact of the intervention, generating evidence to inform scale-up within Malawi and similar low-resource settings. Ultimately, the programme seeks to improve diagnostic pathways, reduce unnecessary referrals to tertiary centres, and enhance the quality of surgical care delivered at the district level.