| January 2009 | Year-to-Date | Total | |
| Outpatient | 8,666 |
||
| Inpatient | |||
| Intensive Care Unit | 62 |
||
| Low Acuity Unit | 73 |
||
| Emergency | |||
| Surgery | |||
| Home Care | |||
| Dental Care | |||
| Eye Care | 372 |
372 |
|
| ARV Treatment | 3 |
3 |
|
| Lab Tests |
Lion dancers parade past
AHC on January 26th.
Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in China but also in communities throughout
Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia. This year is the year of The Ox
and celebrations started on January 26th, continuing for several days. Special
cakes were baked, banquets were held in memory of past family members and
in Siem Reap, leaping “lions” danced in the street. The lion dance and parade
are accompanied by much loud banging of drums in order to ward off evil spirits
and to bring good fortune for the coming year. Happy Chinese New Year!
Three-year-old Chan Meak was one of the thousands of Cambodian
children to receive free medical care at AHC this month.
This little boy was admitted to our Inpatient Department (IPD) with a diagnosis
of right and left leg cellulitis, a severe deep skin infection. Meak had been
hospitalized at AHC many times before over the last few years with pneumonia,
heart failure and malnutrition. In 2008 he was one of the lucky children to
have received heart surgery at AHC.
This time, Meak had been sick at home for three days with fever. His mother
had given him a dose of paracetamol but after three days he developed redness
and swelling on both legs. The mother quickly took him to AHC and he was admitted.
In IPD, lab tests were done and he was started on antibiotics. His legs were
kept elevated and he was brought to Dr. Lyda for a leg ultrasound. He was
discharged with no more fever and reduced swelling in the legs. Meak returned
for a follow up visit one week later and doctors were satisfied with his progress.
AHC staff also learned that Meak, his mother and his two siblings have been
accepted to move into to New Hope Orphanage and the family is happy.
Surgery
Right: Bun Chantha in the ICU.
Left: Chanta prior to discharge.
In January more than 110 Major surgeries and 681 Minor surgeries were performed
at AHC.
10-year old Bun Chantha was one of the Cambodian children who received surgery.1 of 4 children, he comes from Battembang province more than 160 kilometers from Siem Reap. His father is in the army. He came to the hospital with his mother and two sisters. He had a history of a fever for four days and pain above his right knee.
At first, his mother took him to a private clinic for treatment. He received an IV injection but developed pain throughout his whole body. At this point, Chantha’s mother decided to borrow 150,000 Riel ($37.50 USD), the price for renting a car to get to AHC.
He was admitted immediately to ICU and many lab tests and procedures were
ordered. He stayed in ICU for 2 days until his condition was stable then was
transferred to IPD. He no longer had a fever but was still receiving sponge
baths. At that time Chantha could not walk, stand or sit. He was diagnosed
with pyomyositis of his right leg and underwent surgery. Three days after
the surgery, he was sitting up in a wheel chair, still feeling a little discomfort
but much improved. The following day, Chantha he was able to safely be discharged
home.
Thank you to the scores of international volunteers who generously donated their time and energy at AHC.
Dr. Katinka Morton, a psychiatrist, was one of our volunteers this month
spending two-weeks working alongside out local staff. During this time she
gave two lectures to AHC staff, one on Stress Management and the other on
Stress and Anxiety in Children. The talks were very well attended and the
staff found them extremely helpful. Dr. Morton also helped the medical staff
in OPD and in IPD with patients with anxiety disorders. Both she and the staff
are hoping for a chance to to return to volunteer at AHC again next year.
Education
and Training for Cambodian Health Workers
Dr. Sing Heng giving lecture to visiting Referral
Hospital doctors.
A group of ten nurses and four physicians arrived at AHC on January 19th to
begin a specially designed training program for health workers based in rural
areas. They have come from referral hospitals in Phneom Penh, Kratie, Kampot
and Tmorpouk.
The doctors will participate in AHC's 8-week Pediatric Basic and Emergency
Care (PBEC) program. The nurses will concurrently join AHC's 4-week Basic
Pediatric Nursing Care Course.
The training focuses on care for common childhood illnesses as well as emerging
diseases such as bird flu. The overall aim of the programs is to enable rurally
based health workers to provide high quality care safely, ethically and competently
in their hospitals. The training, taught by senior AHC medical and nursing
staff, will consist of both lectures and supervised clinical practice.
On behalf of all Angkor Hospital staff and Cambodian children, we would like to all of our donors and supporters from around the world.
A special thank you goes to two of our former volunteers who continued to help out long after leaving Cambodia. Aine Flynn did some volunteer work in the hospital last March. Since coming home to Ireland he and his sister Deirdre Flynn by taking part in the Dublin Marathon and raising 800 Euro for the hospital. Nilofer Naqvi, who volunteered for us twice, ran in the New York Marathon in November and raised $1,360 for AHC!
Friends will hold its First Fundraising Gala in Los Angeles , California
on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. More details
to follow. To inquire about sponsoring and/or donating auction items, please
email mayanna@fwab.org or call 212-691-0909.
