The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) has launched its Global Health Scholarships Programme to provide Malawian doctors with an opportunity to pursue specialist training in internal medicine while remaining in the country.
The programme was launched on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Research Programme’s (MLW) CREATOR Building in Blantyre.
Speaking during the launch, RCPE Registrar Dr Elizabeth Macdonald said the scholarship programme reflects the college’s commitment to strengthening medical training and building sustainable partnerships internationally.
“The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh has a commitment to promoting medical excellence and medical training globally, and informing sustainable and meaningful partnerships internationally,” Donald said.
She said the programme was specifically designed to enable talented Malawian doctors to access specialist training without having to leave the country.
“This scholarship is to support talented doctors to remain within Malawi, undertake training within Malawi, and hopefully serve the local communities after they have finished the training,” she said.
The launch, held under the theme “Investing in Future Physician Leaders through the RCPE Global Health Scholarships Programme,” saw two Malawian doctors, Dr Nelson Amos and Dr Evans Chawanangwa Msiska, awarded the scholarships.
Amos, a Senior Medical Officer at Zomba Central Hospital, said the scholarship would help him advance his career and qualify as a specialist physician, enabling him to contribute further to the development of healthcare in Malawi.
Director of MLW, Professor Henry Mwandumba, described the initiative as a significant opportunity for both the scholarship recipients and Malawi’s health system.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our trainees, but also for the medical department and for Malawi at large,” Mwandumba said.
He said the programme had the potential to strengthen the country’s health system, particularly in the area of internal medicine.
“This opportunity is phenomenal, not only for our trainees, but for strengthening the health system in Malawi, especially in internal medicine,” he added.
Mwandumba also expressed gratitude to the RCPE for its support, recalling discussions that began two years ago on how the college could contribute to medical training in Africa.
MLW leader has therefore challenged the scholarship recipients to make the most of the opportunity and help pave the way for future trainees.
“The recipients of these scholarships have a huge task ahead of them to show that we can deliver and make good use of these scholarships to open up doors for others who are coming after them,” he said.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Malawi Association of College of Physicians (MACOP) and supports doctors pursuing the four-year East, Central and Southern Africa College of Physicians (ECSACOP) Fellowship in Internal Medicine Training.
