Support Todd Lewis in Transforming Malawi's EMS

Hello, my name is Todd Lewis. I have been a Firefighter/EMT for the past 17 years. And I now live in Malawi, Africa!

Malawi is considered one of the poorest countries in Africa. it is a country that is striving very hard to become modernized. They have roadways, electricity, and running water in their major cities. Malawi has a population of 20.9 million people. Lilongwe is the capital of Malawi with a population of 1.3 million, and that is where I am. I discovered that there is one area of progression that is failing and falling far behind, and that is the medical response and treatment for the people.

I witnessed firsthand 10 months ago such a gap, in a medical emergency. A female local was walking along the street and was struck be a vehicle. She had an obvious leg fracture and was bleeding from the head. Other locals picked her up and placed her into the car that struck her. I could not believe what I was seeing. She was taken to a government hospital. I inquired as to what I witnessed and it was explained that by law, if you hit someone, you take them to the hospital. I asked about emergency responders and an ambulance, and there is no such thing.

Another incident that occurred, that I was not a witness to, was a 9-year-old child who had fallen out of a tree and was not acting appropriately. The parents were expats and did not know who to call or where to go. It took them all afternoon driving from clinic to clinic, from hospital to hospital, before they could find a doctor that could provide any care. Their child had to be flown out of the country for pediatric care. After visiting three clinics and two hospitals, the child still had to be flown out.

Being an American and working in the EMS field for so many years, these two events are mind-baffling and frustrating, leaving a sense of hopelessness. My own family has had our own experiences with finding the right medical care. My oldest daughter strained her ankle and needed an X-ray and a doctor, of course. The first clinic we were told to go to didn't have X-ray, so they sent us to another clinic. Fortunately, they did.

Four months ago, my wife called me to respond to a co-worker of hers at a restaurant. The restaurant owner called someone they knew as well. There is an ambulance! Mohammed Jubair arrived in his ambulance, and since then, for the past three months, I have been volunteering and helping him respond to calls. Mohammed is a flight nurse, paramedic, and firefighter. He saw the need to provide a modern-day ambulance service five years ago. He started his own ambulance service. The pandemic arrived and brought his progression of emergency response services to a near halt. Currently, he stands with a doctor, a driver, himself, and now me.

We are striving to become the first Emergency Response and eventually, Trauma Center in Lilongwe. We have the attention of one council member from the Malawi Ministry of Health. If we can prove to him the effectiveness of medically trained EMS responders, then we may just curve the direction of care for the people.

Say hello to MMR, Malawi Medical Response.

We offer high-quality emergency care starting from the location of the incident. We are able to transport the sick and injured to the most appropriate hospital or clinic. The international standard of care that we are following is right in line with what is given in the US. We have the dedicated people with the right skills. Every new staff member we take on board will receive the same high-valued training. In the long run, along with the trauma center, we have hopes to have our own ICU and inpatient hospital. But that will take time.

So this is where we are, needing the equipment to provide the appropriate care in an emergency. Currently, we have one ambulance and a small office. With that said, the ambulance has the traditional first aid supplies and oxygen. But for cardiac care, we have an AED. Mohammed and I have always been blessed with advanced equipment such as a 12-lead EKG monitor defibrillator. If someone is having a heart attack, we want to know the moment we meet them at their home to start care. The equipment that we need will make the biggest difference in someone's life at the time when they need it most.

So your donations will help us help others. The funds we raise will be used to purchase equipment and supplies that are not even thought of in Malawi.

I thought I was done with EMS when we moved out to Malawi. But now more than ever do I feel my experience and skills can truly impact the outcome of a community.

Thank you,

Todd Lewis & Mohammed Jubair