By end 2014, the population of Sdock Chrey village had grown to more than 1000 people from 116 families. There is pressing need for some basic medical attention and assistance. A medical team was put together during the Hope Villages December Goodwill Visit, comprising of Dr Saleha and Staff Nurse Jamilah Ramat from Singapore and a Cambodian doctor Dr Sokrey. Other participants of the Goodwill Trip, like Sakina,Ida and Sapiah rallied to help with registration of patients, ushering, crowd controland helping with the dispensing of medicine. Students from Pannasastra University also lent a hand with language interpretation.

The team attended to a total of 161 patients over the 2 days of the Goodwill Visit.
The villagers complained mostly of general ill-health, non-specific symptoms of giddiness, headache, aches & pains, upper respiratory infections and bronchitis, poor vision, poor dental care, ear infections and skin rashes. Some had high blood pressure and diabetes. A few were previously diagnosed by private doctors they had consulted, given medication but not followed up. The patients defaulted understandably because of financial reasons.

Arrangements had been made to refer cases for further follow up and treatment to the NUS team at Kong Pisey Referral Hospital in Kampong Speu. 13 cases were referred to them for further attention.

They included a 4/12 old baby with left inguinal hernia, a suspected case of TB, a right breast lump in a 25 year old lady, a patient with bronchitis and 3 patients with hypertension and diabetes on poor follow-up. There was also a man with generalized contact dermatitis to some chemical he was using in the course of his work and 5 patients with very bad dental caries with cavities that needed extraction or fillings.

All in all it was a fruitful albeit tiring event, which benefitted the villagers tremendously.

Dr Saleha Johari
December 2014