In April, AHC’s Medical Education Coordinator, Dr. Leakhena,
traveled to Ontario Canada to present at the Pediatric Academic Societies’
conference. Her presentation was called“Barriers to Neonatal Care in Developing
Countries”.
Also presenting research projects on an international stage in 2007 were Dr.
Pagnarith and lab technician, Sin Lina, who presented at the World Meliodosis
Conference in Thailand, held in November.
Sin Lina presents at international conference
in Thailand
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May
Providing education to families remained a constant during 2007. Education
included:
o Poster, pamphlets, in-hospital video system
o Informal one-to-one bedside teaching
o Individual counseling
o First-aid classes for parents of children staying in the hospital
o Play therapy
o Demonstration cooking classes
AHC staff, Plech Mom, conducts daily demonstration cooking
classes to target parents of children diagnosed with malnutrition
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June
In June, AHC began its fifth year of collaborating with the Cambodian Ministry
of Health (MOH) in implementing a national Pre-service Training Program for
Nursing Students. Over the next several months, more than 300 Cambodian nursing
students as well as their school instructors attended clinical placements
at AHC.
A busy year for education, AHC also hosted 22 training sessions of the WHO
promoted IMCI training course. In total, more than 600 government doctors,
nurses and students attended training in 2007.
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July
This past year Southeast Asia was hit by one of the worst Dengue Fever outbreaks
in years. In Cambodia there were more than 30,000 confirmed cases over the
course of a few months. The peak of the epidemic was reached in July. Between
the months of May through September, more than 2,300 cases of Dengue Fever
were treated at AHC (compared to a total of 314 during the same time period
in 2006).
With a shortage of beds during the Dengue epidemic, many children were
placed on straw mats on the hallway floors
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August
In August our Home Care team made almost 250 follow-up visits to children
and families in their homes. In total, there were almost 2,500 visits made
in 2007. Approximately 70% of the children in the Home Care program are diagnosed
with HIV/AIDS, the remaining are diagnosed with other chronic conditions such
as malnutrition and complications from meningitis.
AHC Home Care nurse, Peng Khun Chan Phaktra, visits a
patient in the community
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September
In
2007 more than 290 individuals generously volunteered their time at AHC working
alongside our Cambodian staff. Although the majority of volunteers arrived
from the USA, Canada and Australia, there were many other countries represented,
including Austria, Cambodia, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland,
Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Thailand.
September visit by Australian surgical team to work with
AHC's local staff
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October
2007 saw an increase in the amount of outreach services provided by AHC,
not only by the Home Care team, but also by the Dental Clinic and Eye Clinic
staff.
o More than 7,000 children received eye screening through community outreach
activities
o More than 2,800 children received assessment and treatment by the dental
team through community outreach work
AHC dentist, Dr. Bou Naren, during a dental outreach trip to a local school
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November
With an increasing number of tourists visiting Cambodia each year, many come
to visit the UESCO heritage site of Angkor Wat, more and more hotels are being
built. AHC is the proud recipient of support from many of these hotels. Hotels
such as the Amansara, the Residence D’Angkor, the De La Paix, and the Golden
Banana have generously held fundraising events, encouraged their guests to
visit the hospital, and many have even donated linens. Restaurants like the
Soup Dragon continue to provide AHC with a percentage of their sales.
More than 500 toys were collected by the De La Paix Hotel
and donated to the children of AHC
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December
In December, AHC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hasbro Children's
Hospital and the Brown Medical School Department of Pediatrics. The agreement
formally acknowledges the desire for the exchange of knowledge and skills
and includes the American Academy of Pediatrics (Rhode Island Chapter) as
a partner.
Other international partnership agreements formally recognized in 2007 include
the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Stony Brook University Medical
Center, and the University of British Columbia Faculty of Dentistry.
AHC's Medical Director, Dr. Pheaktra, exchanges MOU
with Hasbro Children’s Hospital's Dr. Aaron Friedman
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Thank You!
Thank you again to the hard working local staff of AHC and to the many, many
supporters from around the world that helped to make 2007 such a success.
Together we have made a difference and helped to ensure that tens of thousands
of Cambodian children do not go without adequate health care.
We all look forward to 2008 and the challenges and rewards that lie ahead.
Hospital staff participated in the 2007 Angkor Wat Half
Marathon event
