Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

Special thanks to Balaka Clinicians for the hostage and support of PAUM Agenda

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

PAUM as a mother Union for all Clinical Associates, Clinical officers, Medical Assistants and Dental Therapists of Malawi was invited to the 6th Scientific Elective Conference for the Malawi Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Officers (MAOCO) at Cross roads hotel in Lilongwe. PAUM President, Mr Solomon David Chomba represented all PAUM members and he made a maiden speech encouraging all PAUM cadre Associations and members to unite and work together for the common good of our all cadres. Special appreciation message was sent to the out gone President and NEC for the good efforts they had made in realising MAOCO's great potential and success. The President then congratulated the new President of MAOCO, Mr Kelvin Mwale and the entire NEC for being entrusted with this noble responsibility of advancing the scientific interests of their speciality under MAOCO and requested their continued Unity of purpose with all other associations falling under PAUM cadres.

The President also briefly gave key highlights on what PAUM is doing and the current strategic direction of the Union including the modalities on payroll based membership deduction following the provision of deduction code by MoH and MoF.

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

Physicians Association of Malawi (Paum) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Yogas Limited, which will see Paum members acquiring Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) equipment from the energy firm.

The equipment includes a gas cylinder, a stove and related accessories. Speaking earlier today during the signing of the MoU in Lilongwe, a representative of Yogas Limited Stella Banda said the scheme has been designed to allow Paum members to purchase the starter pack in instalments. Banda said the company wants more Malawians to adopt gas usage, especially now when electricity supply is not reliable.

Paum president Solomon Chomba said the MoU will help the healthcare workers afford better ways of cooking. He said using gas for cooking has become trendy among many households in Malawi. Fire management engineer Gideon Mwanza also urged Malawians to start embracing gas use to curtail deforestation.

He said government’s fire department has already certified the Yogas products after assessing that they are safe for use.

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

Theme "UNITE TO END GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN MALAWI"

Key issues
-25 November to 10 December are 16 days of activism to end gender based violence
-GBV can be at home, work or school and it has to be reported because it can bring so much harm to a person and can also bring mental health complications hence the need to stop it.
-There are two other areas being incorporated into GBV which is school related GBV and child labour The Goal of Activism
-Is to report all GBV cases for proper action
-To make all people including children to understand their rights
-To make sure unions and institutions have good policies for gender practice and representation.
- To Lobby for descent work so that employees are able to support themselves.
-Encouraging women to go back to school so they become self reliant.
-Making sure that gender law C190 is discussed and passed in parliament to become law and there are steps to be followed for that.

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

PAUM President Solomon David Chomba represented PAUM and the Malawi Government in a conference held by GACOPA which attracted all Clinicians across the Globe and the Conference took place in Kigali Rwanda under the Theme: "Harmonizing Clinical officers and Physician Associate towards Attaining Universal Health Coverage"

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

Today we had a very successful meeting with parliamentary committee on education, NCHE and ministry of Education officials.

PAUM with MCHS students presented key issues for action
1. Ministry Alignment of Malawi College of Health Sciences
2. Loan provision to needy students by Loans body-NCHE
3. Amendment of NCHE Act 2 of 2015 to allow all needy students including Certificates, Diplomas, advanced diplomas and ODL to access the loans.
Our issues were very much understood by the members of parliament and all representatives present with much consideration on how crucial our cadres are in Malawi's health service delivery as the backbone of health service in Malawi.

The following were agreed
1. An urgent amendment of the act will be made to accommodate all needy higher learning students
2. Malawi College of Health Sciences is aligned to ministry of education under the ministerial Gazette as such MoE will be responsible as a mother of this significant health training institution.
3. Funding to NCHE for loans to be increased through the committees advocacy in parliament which will help to increase the dispersed amount per student and also increase the number of beneficiaries of the same.
4.MCHS needs to be accredited the soonest. As per MCHS management, the process already started and may be fully complete in the next two weeks

This kind of engagement will continue until everything gets done for the good of our Clinical officer, medical Assistants and Dental Therapist students.

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

Since the Southern part of Malawi faced a Tropical Cyclone Freddy which displaced at least 553,614 people, many of whom are sheltering in 543 sites, with 507 deaths reported and 537 people still unaccounted for, according to Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA).

PAUM members thought it wise to contribute a little from their pockets which was used as Aid for some of the camps where the displaced people are living, which includes Machinjiri, Ndilande, Chilomoni, Chilobwe, Limbe and Ndilande camps just to add on that our representative that went there took one of the patient from one of the camps and transported him to the Hospital to get Medical assistance.

Chancy Mbizi who is a PAUM SOCIAL WELFARE chair represented the Organisation together with one of the PAUM members.

Writter:Pres Solomon Chomba

PAUM President Solomon Chomba conducted a meeting with Tridem Pharmacy Director, the meeting focused on partnership which was agreed upon. Tridem Pharmacy were geared to partner with the Org and support the Org in all areas of mutual benefit to them and PAUM. Key areas discussed were, the Tridem Pharmacy will support physical meetings with district members, Conferences and CPD sessions held by PAUM.

NOTE: The director was impressed with PAUM strategic vision of the union. These are drug manufacturers especially Anti-Malarial.