We are two doctors with a passion for life. Ginny, a paediatrician. Keith, a General Practitioner. Our journey began with postgraduate training in the Northeast of England, followed by a transformative two-year experience in Zanzibar, Tanzania, working for Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). Upon our return to the UK in 1996, we vowed to work hard in the NHS and then retire early to work overseas again.

Keith worked for 24 years as a principal in Primary Care at Herrington Medical Centre, Houghton le Spring. Meanwhile, Ginny completed her paediatric training and served as a consultant paediatrician at South Tees NHS Trust for 17 years.

In 2016, while celebrating our 50th birthdays in South Luangwa, Zambia, we discovered the Valley Doctor role - an opportunity that resonated with our desire to volunteer in a beautiful part of the world. Consequently, in 2021, we bid farewell to our NHS roles, embracing a six-month adventure as the South Luangwa Valley doctors.

Fast forward to 2024. Having served as Valley doctors for two terms - six months in 2021-2 and three months in 2023 - we invite you to explore our previous blog entries, chronicling our experiences, accessible through this link: https://keithandginnybirre.wixsite.com/intoafrica

We have committed to working for three months each year as Valley doctors for the foreseeable future. In addition, we plan to visit remote camps in South Luangwa before, or after, our three-month stints. We will provide preventative care to isolated staff during periods when we are off the leash - not bound by our responsibilities to the immediate Valley residents.