Visit to Health Clinic
Yesterday, Diane, Margaret & I went with Ronnie to visit one of the local Health Clinics in a remote area in Bakong. We took the minivan because the clearance is better for the pot-holed road.
A Rural Heath Clinic
The staff consists of 2 nurses, a midwife, a receptionist & an administrator with some medical training. A doctor comes out from Siem Reap about once per month. There is no laboratory.
They see about 50 patients per day, most with respiratory complaints, mostly due to infection. They also deliver babies–50 per year. Many more women have babies in their own homes, & trying to persuade them to come to the clinic for delivery is a problem. The administrator would like to have something to offer the women as an incentive, such as a baby blanket or clothes. However, their money is needed for other more essential things.The dispensary is very low on everything. They do have some oral antibiotics, antiseptic cream, a few oral contraceptive packages a few vitamins, some treatments for TB, & malaria. They see very little HIV/AIDS in this rural setting. For lab services & more involved diagnosis & treatment, patients must travel to the nearest hospital–about 16 km away (a long way on a bicycle!).
Patients pay about $.50 for prescritions, $1.00-2.00 per visit, & $6.00 per delivery. There is no government funding, except for staff salaries (& the salaries are pitifully low-the staff works because they love it).
There is some prenatal care–4 visits-, & 1 post-natal visit at 1 week. The perinatal mortality rate is very high here.
The record-keeping system is excellent, despite having no technology more modern than a telephone.
One of the main items on their wish list is a lamp to use in the delivery room so they can actually see the baby when the birth occurs at night! Another wish is for a glucometer. We will be going to the supply places in Siem Reap to (hopefully) buy these 2 items for them.
Staff & Visitors
Hi Diane
Good to see you at work again.
collect those frequent flier miles and keep up the good work.
Bill
What a great project! Keep up the good work.
It nice to see Margaret’s picture with the local staff. I hope Margaret’s and Rodger’s work is of considerable help to the local group!