This information is meant to serve as a guide for those involved in the Madgy Malawi Foundation surgical mission trips. Participants are required to confirm any specific details with their group lead. This information is not meant for general travel recommendations to Malawi. Always check the US state department website for up to date information.
U.S. State Department Information on Travel to Malawi
Trip General Details and Expectations
Flights
Each trip to Malawi will be coordinated by a senior member of the MMF team. We recommend coordinating airline bookings in order to get on the same main flights leaving the United States. Contact your trip lead for details.
Hotel/Accommodations
Participants
Residents will stay at housing on the hospital campus. Total cost for this housing is ~$200.
Attending physicians, other participants, or interested residents will be staying at the Protea hotel nearby. Prices are season specific. If you haven’t yet, let your trip lead know if you’ll be staying at the hotel. This way, the group deal can be secured.
Scholarships and Grants
For trainees in Otolaryngology
You can apply to multiple scholarships and grants.
- Travel grants are available through the AAO-HNS ($1,000)
- (DO Applicants) AOCOO-HNS ($2000). You can apply for both.
- AOCOO-HNS Grant (Choose the “Foundation” tab –> “Grant Request”)
- We encourage you to find other scholarships and grants. Let us know where they are so we can update our list!
Vaccinations and Medications
These are all the required vaccines recommended by the CDC for travel to Malawi. For the most updated information, please see the appropriate government websites.
1. Hep A/B vaccination
- You’ve likely had these in the past, just make sure you are up-to-date.
2. Typhoid
- Two ways to get this vaccine: injection vs one week course of oral caps. Typically insurance covers the pills and that’s an easy way to do it. We have been told insurance coverage of the injections is not very good.
- Vivotif: Live vaccine, comes in a pack of four. One capsule PO every other day x 4 doses (days 0, 2, 4, and 6); swallow with cool water on an empty stomach. Always follow the specific instructions on your prescription. You need to complete this at least one week before going to Malawi. If you’ve had this in the past its good for 5 years.
3. Malaria
- There are a few different options, we usually recommend Malarone because it has the least side effects. We would recommend getting a one month supply. That way if someone loses their script or their baggage gets lost, then someone else would have enough to cover them.
- Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) 250mg /100mg tab
- 1 tab po Qday, start 2 days before entering endemic area and continue until day 7 after return
- Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) 250mg /100mg tab
4. COVID
- Bring proof of vaccination for travel (just in case)
5. Others
- It is also good idea to bring a script for Ciprofloxacin and pepto/imodium just incase you pick up a GI bug. It is always better to come prepared.
Medical Supplies
Supplies are limited and we do a lot more cases than the team out there is used to. The solution is that we bring our own supplies. It is recommended that you collect donations from your home hospitals and OR far in advance of the trip. Most hospitals will have someone that can help with any unused supplies that are still sterile and the hospital can’t use for some reason or can be donated. Sometimes industry representative also have a way to donate supplies. We encourage the proper use of all of these methods.
Below is a link to recommended supplies that can be brought in a luggage bag, however, this is a general guideline and you don’t have to bring this exact list.
