The new Clinical Research Excellence And Training Open Resource (CREATOR) will provide the most sophisticated clinical research training environment in the region. It has been described as “paradigm shifting”, meaning a whole new way of thinking and doing business.
East African architecture and engineering practice FBW Group is leading the project’s design and technical team. Contractors are now on site in Blantyre, Malawi’s second largest city, and have begun work on the construction of the state-of-the-art centre.
Paul Moores, FBW Group managing director, said: “We are just at the beginning of the building phase of the project and have now broken ground and started earthworks.
“We’re looking forward to seeing CREATOR take shape. It is an amazing, innovative and experimental development that will make a real difference to healthcare in Malawi and the region, and we’re honoured to be playing our part in the delivery of such an important facility for global medical research.”
CREATOR is a partnership between the new Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (previously the College of Medicine), Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), the University of Liverpool and the medical research charity Wellcome.
Malawi currently has around 600 clinical doctors to treat a population of 16 million. The new centre will meet a critical need for the further training of medical specialists and research opportunities, focusing on the needs of the sub-Saharan Africa region.
CREATOR will help to halt the ‘brain drain’ that sees doctors leave the country to progress their careers, sometimes never returning.
Malawi had one of the lowest life expectancies in the world some years ago, and now has the fastest improvement in life expectancy anywhere in the world due to progress against HIV, TB, malaria and other endemic diseases.
The looming threat of increasing non-communicable diseases such as strokes, and the ongoing challenge of meeting the developmental needs of every child, are research challenges of the moment. In future, more attention will be paid to the health impact of climate change, particularly global warming.
Wellcome has committed £1.9m to the project and LSTM and the University of Liverpool are providing £3m each. More fundraising is underway for the costs of training specialists and seeing the best research conducted in country.
The Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Research Programme (MLW), as well as providing training for the next generation of clinical researchers, also supports research nurses and clinicians at the Queen Elizabeth Central hospital (QECH) in Blantyre. The new centre will be built in QECH grounds.
Over the last 25 years MLW has made notable scientific contribution in the management of malaria and HIV. It says the CREATOR project will be “a step-change” in the scale of clinical research- an increase of at least 30 per cent – and reverse the norm of trainees leaving Malawi and the region to receive specialist education elsewhere.
Medical and healthcare projects have been a cornerstone of FBW’s work since it began life in East Africa just over a quarter of a century ago.
Its architects, designers and engineers have delivered a range of developments, including clinics and hospitals serving remote rural areas – projects that have made a real difference to people’s health and lives.
FBW, which has offices in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, as well as the UK and Netherlands, also has a strong track record in supporting organisations delivering international standards in East Africa.
Stuart Harley, FBW’s chief operating officer, said: “We have built strong links with the healthcare sector from our very earliest days and we’re proud of the clinics, hospitals and research facilities that have benefited people in so many ways.”
What was reported in September 2020
Construction of first specialist postgraduate MTC in Malawi to begin next year
Work on a life-changing US $12.3m first specialist postgraduate medical training centre (MTC) in Malawi is set to start in the new year. FBW Group is leading the project’s design and technical team. Technical designs are expected to be completed by FBW in October and then tendered, with site works anticipated to start at the beginning of 2021.
The new Clinical Research and Training Open Resource (Creator) in Malawi will provide the most sophisticated research environment in the country. FBW will also be providing technical oversight for the initial enabling works expected to start on site soon.
Creator
Creator is a partnership between the University of Malawi’s College of Medicine (CoM), Queen Elizabeth’s Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), the University of Liverpool and the medical research foundation Wellcome.
Wellcome has committed US $2.5m to the project and LSTM and the University of Liverpool are providing US $3.9m each. More fundraising is underway.
Malawi currently has around 600 clinical doctors to treat a population of 16 million. The new centre will meet a critical need for further training and research opportunities, helping to halt the ‘brain drain’ that sees doctors leave the country to progress their careers. Malawi has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world.
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The Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (MLW) currently provides training for the next generation of clinical researchers and supports research nurses and clinicians at the Queen Elizabeth Central hospital (QECH) in Blantyre. The new centre will be built in its grounds.
Over the last 25 years MLW has made notable scientific contribution in the management of malaria and HIV. It says the Creator project will be “a step-change” in the scale of clinical research and a reversal of the norm of trainees leaving Malawi and the region to receive specialist education elsewhere.
According to Lindiwe Mafuleka, communications lead for MLW, the increase in scale of research and number of researchers translates into increased contribution and progress in the improvement of health. This is of great importance for securing better health for the region and beyond.
“The project is a monumental step towards new levels of excellence for MLW. The building will accommodate a 30% increase in research activity over the next 10 years. This will be combined, for the first time, with postgraduate specialist medical education by engaging with hospital academic departments and 140 or more postgraduate clinical and non-clinical research trainees,” said Lindiwe.
What was reported in December 2019
Specialist postgraduate medical and research training centre Project in Malawi
A team of architects and engineers are working on a life-changing £9.5m medical training centre project for Malawi, the country’s first specialist postgraduate medical training centre. Leading structural engineering specialist TRP Consulting and architecture practice Cassidy + Ashton, based in the North West of England, are working on the initial design stages for the centre, which will also provide the most sophisticated research environment in the African country.
East African-based multi-disciplinary consultancy FBW Group, which also has strong links to the North West of England, is also involved in the medical training centre project for Malawi and is undertaking enabling surveys on the proposed site of the facility in the southern city of Blantyre.
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The Clinical Research and Training Open Resource (Creator) project
The Clinical Research and Training Open Resource (Creator) project is a partnership between the University of Malawi’s College of Medicine (CoM), Queen Elizabeth’s Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, the UK’s Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), the University of Liverpool and the medical research foundation Wellcome.
Training and Research
Malawi currently has around 600 clinical doctors to treat a population of 16 million people. The new centre will meet a critical need for further training and research opportunities, helping to halt the ‘brain drain’ that sees doctors leave the country to progress their careers. Malawi has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world. The Creator building will host state-of-the-art laboratories, flexible learning spaces and simulation rooms. Recording and live-stream capabilities will enable interaction with global health leaders across the world. It will accommodate an expected 30 per cent rise in clinical research activity and postgraduate specialist clinical medical education over the next 10 years.
Funding
Wellcome has committed £1.9m to the project and LSTM and the University of Liverpool are providing £3m each. More fundraising is currently underway. The Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (MLW) currently provides training for the next generation of clinical researchers and supports research nurses and clinicians at the Queen Elizabeth Central hospital (QECH) in Blantyre. The new centre will be built in its grounds. Professor Stephen Gordon, Director of MLW, said: “We have been planning the Creator for more than three years as a partnership between QECH, CoM and partners in the UK. It will be a game-changer for medicine and science in Malawi.” And LSTM’s director Professor David Lalloo said: “The need for the Creator building reflects the rapid growth and quality of Malawian medical science and LSTM is delighted to be a partner in a project that will help deliver even greater success.”
TRP Consulting, which is based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is working on the structural development of the project. Its structural engineers have a strong track record of delivery on large and complex building works and have widespread expertise in sectors ranging from health and sports stadia development. Director Geoff Wilks said: “We’re delighted to be part of the team that is working to deliver this ground-breaking and vitally important project that will help address the many emerging health threats facing Malawi.” The architectural team from the Preston office of Cassidy + Ashton is creating the initial designs for Creator. Chris Taylor, director at Cassidy + Ashton and lead architect on the Creator building, said: “Working on this project has been both inspirational and challenging. “From initially visiting the site in Malawi and understanding the complexities of the location and the end-users objectives, our strategy is to develop the design in the UK and then handover the project to a local multi-disciplinary practice, FBW, to convert the building to local techniques. “This will involve careful consideration of materials, given the remote location, and consideration to the deprived area with its lack of skilled labour. “The Creator building aims to become a meeting place of like-minded professionals in clinical research and training and I look forward to returning to the region to oversee the project management through to completion.”
Leading East African planning, design, architecture and engineering team FBW Group will provide its expertise on the ground, taking on project management as the building develops. It is the latest in a series of life-changing medical projects that the practice has helped deliver in Africa since its creation in 1994, including a number of clinics and hospitals serving remote rural areas. A cornerstone of its work is the development and reconstruction of urban and rural hospitals, providing practical solutions, responding to the local conditions and at the same time creating healthy environments for patients. FBW also has a strong track record in supporting British-based organisations to deliver international standards in East Africa. It has operations in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania and strong roots in the North West. Architect Paul Moores, from Manchester, is managing director and FBW’s chief operational officer, director of engineering and Kenyan office head are all originally from Greater Manchester and Cheshire. Paul, who is based in Kampala, Uganda, said: “This is an exciting and ground-breaking project to be involved in Creator is an asset that will make a real difference to people’s lives in Malawi. “FBW has built strong links with the healthcare sector in the region since we began working here in 1994 and this is the latest in a portfolio of clinics, hospitals and research facilities that have benefitted people in so many ways.” LSTM Estates Department is overseeing and supervising the project in conjunction with MLW.
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