“ Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Lao Tzu, 600 B.C.
Lao Tzu is credited as the founder of Taoism, and his words above, although from ancient history, speak directly to the work behind the medical missions adopted by the University of North Carolina (UNC) since 1999. UNC has focused on a long-term dedication to a capacity building relationship with Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, Malawi. The overarching mission is to identify innovative, culturally acceptable and affordable methods to improve the health of the people of Malawi; this is accomplished through research, health systems strengthening, prevention, training and care. The original partnership with KCH in 1999 was focused on infectious disease research. Now, almost 20 years later, almost every department at UNC has been involved in growing and collaborating with...