A GLASGOW woman who volunteered in Africa 15 years ago is now the driving force behind a project which could help Scotland cope better with Covid-like outbreaks in the future.

Mairi McConnochie, who lives on the Southside of the city, is visiting Malawi as Scotland co-ordinator of the Global Health Partnership Programme, funded by the Scottish Government's International Development Fund.

Glasgow Times: Mairi McConnochie, who has been spearheading the projectMairi McConnochie, who has been spearheading the project (Image: Healthcare Improvement Scotland)

She explained: “There’s a lot we can learn from these nations. They are operating with lower budgets which drives innovation so it will be really interesting for us to see what they are able to do.

“During the pandemic I attended an online conference and heard someone from a health ministry in southern Africa being asked how they were coping with the Covid-19 situation.

“She answered that it was ‘just another infectious disease epidemic’ for them. That’s the reality, as health workers there are often far more used to dealing with large scale infectious disease outbreaks than we are and that is definitely an area where we can learn from their experiences.”

Mairi first visited Africa 15 years ago, to work as a volunteer in sexual health awareness, and she was struck by the health inequalities facing many who lived there.

Now working for Healthcare Improvement Scotland, she involved the organisation in the global health initiative, which will see experts from Scotland, Malawi and Zambia work together to share knowledge and improve patient safety and the use of medications.

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The Quality Improvement in Global Health Partnership Programme was set up in 2019 as a partnership between Scotland, Malawi and Zambia to allow people with a passion to share knowledge to come together and learn from each other.

During the four day trip to Malawi the delegation from Scotland will visit local hospitals to meet staff and see the work in progress.

Mairi said: “It will be great to see first-hand some of the work we have been involved in and the quality improvement initiatives come to life. Making a difference is what it is all about and I’m inspired and excited to see the great things that can happen through this partnership.”