Is There A Doctor In The Village ?

As part of our job we go and visit and support a small village in the province (countryside) about one and a half hours drive out of Phnom Penh. Our main focus is to help and support a small kindergarten and ladies sewing group there. The other week both of these projects were put on hold for a day as a medical team from Australia called GAIN (Global Aid Network) came to the village to give as many people as possible medical checkups. There were also two dentists and an optician available.

The school building was converted to a big clinic-with a big waiting room

Leaflets were handed out a week before and between 150 and 200 people turned up to take advantage of the free services on offer. Medical treatment for those in the province is pretty scarce and if they have any serious illness they will need to go to Phnom Penh which is about 65 km away and will cost them extra money- for the treatment and the travel- which they usually don’t have.

Waiting for the Doc..

The medical team used the school building as their “hospital” and many of the children who should have been at school came along with their families to see what the doctor could do for them. The whole day was very well organised and there was face painting,balloon making and hairdressing all available to the children. All treatment was free and the patients had the option to be prayed for before they left.

Patiently waiting….

This was a wonderful opportunity for people to get medical, dental or optical treatment that they would otherwise not get. It was a good day with a lovely community atmosphere.