Health colleagues from Malawi and Zambia recently visited Blantyre, birthplace of David Livingstone.
The visit, hosted at the David Livingstone Centre, was attended by the Provost of South Lanarkshire and representatives from NHS Lanarkshire, Scottish Ambulance Service, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Health and Social Care Partnership South Lanarkshire.
The visit was part of the work to develop a Global Health Twinning Project between the Lanarkshire Global Health Citizen Programme, Health and Social Care Partnership South Lanarkshire and Central Province/Chitambo District in Zambia.
Kate Bell, Lanarkshire Global Citizenship co-lead, said: “Although the visit to Scotland was linked mainly to the tripartite health partnership, Scotland-Malawi-Zambia, being developed by the Scottish Government, Global Health Citizenship Co-ordination Unit, it was an exciting opportunity for Lanarkshire, Malawian and Zambian colleagues to meet in person.
“Initial discussions took place around common themes, including mental health and wellbeing of communities, and to consider a global health twining partnership project with Central Province in Zambia and local developments of the Blantyre Community Hub initiative.
“David Livingstone is famed for his explorations of Africa, so his birthplace in Blantyre was a fitting venue for this meeting.”
In December 2016, the Scottish Government published ‘Global Citizenship: Scotland’s International Development Strategy’. This sets out its contribution to the international community and seeks to build and strengthen government to government partnership with the identified partner countries of Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia and Pakistan.
Dr Rosemary Mwanza Banda, Zambian Ministry of Health Director for Quality Improvement, said: “Health needs have really changed and we know that not one person can meet these needs; services need to come together to work in partnership and integrate. We are all at different stages on that journey. In moving this partnership forward, I think we have something to give to the world.
“We have visited the birthplace of David Livingston. The principles that this man conceived through his life are principles that people need to learn about and put into practice for the benefit of the world.”
Future meetings will be held to help understand the strategic priorities to promote a knowledge and skills exchange to support improvements in community health and social care.
