Cambodia
Situation Report
In 1975, after years if civil war, Cambodia suffered a devastating blow to its development as the Khmer Rouge took control of Phnom Penh. Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's vision for a Cambodia absent of any social institutions such as banks, universities, religions or any modern technology centered on a return to an agrarian communist society.
The Khmer Rouge guerilla organization sought to triple agricultural production in a year, as the population of Phnom Penh and every major city was "marched" into the countryside to begin a new life without the trappings of capitalism and free markets. The means of implementation were to begin exterminating anyone who didn't fit with or comply with this new ideal. The "new" nation was being turn back to "Year Zero", and intellectuals, businessmen, doctors, Buddhists and foreigners were all "purged". It is estimated that 1.5 to 2 million people were killed during this time.
The "purging" continued unabated until Vietnamese troops, tired of border skirmishes with the Khmer Rouge, invaded in 1979n and sent the Khmer Rouge back to the jungles. After over a decade of Vietnamese rule, the United Nations intervened in 1991 and established the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). In November 1998, ten years after the Vietnamese had left, elections were held and a new coalition government was formed between the two leading parties, ushering in a period of relative political peace.
Cambodia continues its road of recovery. One quarter of the population was killed between 1975 and 1979, and today, over 50% of the Cambodia's people are children. More than 1/3 of the population lives on less that $1 a day. As the nation rebuilds its infrastructure and social mechanisms, massive inequality between the urban centers and the rural poor continues to grow. Over 75% of the population live in rural communities characterized by malnutrition, limited access to education and health services. Rapid urbanization has caused stress on financial resources in an economy where it is estimated external donors supply about half the nation's budget. Today, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in the region.
Our Work
Since 1979, Medical Teams International has sent 32 medical and dental teams to Cambodia. In 2007, we registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and opened a country office in Phnom Penh. Our presence in the country has helped us faciliate health-focused programs with local partners.
- Community Health:
Child mortality and maternal mortality remain high and show little sign of improvement. Cambodia struggles with high rates of child malnutrition, limited access to health care, low vaccination coverage and little government investment in health programs.
In 2009, we launched a community health project in Sot Nikum [Siem Reap] that aims to build health infrastructure through training and education. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, we'll continue our work in 2 main areas: Andong displaced community; and Tong Neak, including the surrounding villages in Neak Loueng and Prey Veng.
Andong village is a community of approximately 1,300 displaced families. In collaboration with a local Christian partner called The Organization for the Development of the People of Cambodia (ODPC), we'll provide medical care, train community health volunteers and implement projects requested by the community.
Tong Neak and several other surrounding villages are home to approximately 12,000 people. With help from local partnters and U.S. churches, we'll provide direct medical care as well as training to health staff and village health volunteers.
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS):
Road safety has not kept pace with the rapid rise in motorized transport. Insufficient enforcement; lack of road safety, education and awareness; inadequate public health systems; and poor access to health services have each contributed to a startling number road accidents and casualties.
Four Cambodians die in traffic accidents every day. Many others sustain serious injuries. These accidents have an enormous impact on the social and economic welfare of the country. An estimated $116 million USD, or 3% of the country's GDP, is lost each year.
Medical Teams International has developed contextualized and appropriate training EMS tools in the local language (Khmer).
Our EMS work include:
- Publishing the first Khmer language pre-hospital care textbook.
- A Khmer language pre-hospital care training DVD.
- Emergency response training at Angkor Hospital for Children.
- Developing a training of trainers (TOT) program with Calmette Hospital to serve hospitals in the capital city, Phnom Penh.
This year, we'll build a cadre of Cambodian Master Trainers, who will be able to train at the ‘EMT’ level, and will work directly with the Ministry of Health to increase pre-hospital care in the capital.
We will also work with local Christian organizations to contextualize and translate a first responder manual for village health volunteers and health center staff. Volunteer health workers will take this knowledge back to their communities
Future Plans
During 2009-10, we will send 3 EMS teams, 2 dental teams and 1 medical training team to Cambodia.
Our Partners
- Angkor Hospital for Children is a pediatric teaching hospital funded by the NGO, Friends Without a Border. The hospital is dedicated to improving the health and future of Cambodia's children by providing medical, nursing and para-medical education coupled with high quality pediatric care.
- Foursquare Children of Promise (FCOP)
is the largest caregiver for orphans in Cambodia and provides
year-round care for approximately 80 church-based orphan homes in
Cambodia. FCOP provides shelter and nutrition as well as medical and
dental care for these orphans.
- The Cambodian Ministry of Health (MoH) and the local affiliate, the Sot Nikum District Health Office, carry out health initiatives and programming in Cambodia. These key partners position our work into permanent programs and provide the proper permissions and sanctions. Calmette Hospital is the primary trauma hospital in Phnom Penh, emergency medical care training and ‘master trainer’ development.
- Cambodia Outreach is a registered charity as well as a church working in approximately 5 provinces and 7 operational districts. The organization believes improving health and health care is a key component of sharing the gospel. Health projects focus on child and maternal health, training, water/sanitation and prevention.
- Kingdom Equipped Youth (KEY) focuses on leadership development and discipleship for the emerging generation (16-30 year olds) of Cambodian leaders. KEY implements community health education and runs a first aid training program. Evangelicals for Cambodia oversees KEY's work.
- New Life Foundation is
a humanitarian organization that ministers to the poorest of Cambodia’s
poor through sustainable relief and development work. New Life
Fellowship is a movement of local autonomous churches that have been
planted and are supported by Cambodia Outreach.
- The Organization for the Development of the People of Cambodia is a small Christian nonprofit. The organization operates an elementary school for impoverished children and implements income-generating textile and sewing projects. The primary goal of this group is to serve the spiritual and physical needs of the community, including the immediate shelter, water and sanitation needs that arise during the rainy season.
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