As many of you know, I am currently volunteering with Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) for 8 months. AHC is a non governmental children's hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia which has been providing free healthcare to children since 1999. It is one of Cambodia's few Paediatric teaching hospitals and provides many community outreach services. It's service relies entirely on generous donations. EACH DAY it costs $15,000 dollars to run the hospital and up to 600 children can pass through on a daily basis. Aside from increasing costs from advancing facilities such as the special care baby unit, intensive care unit and providing chemotherapy for cancer patients, the hospital employs nearly 500 staff, 98% of whom are Khmer (Cambodian).

My role at AHC is in the Global Child Health Programme working with Khmer staff developing a programme called "Saving Babies Lives". Although the facilities at AHC are of a relatively high standard for Cambodia, this sadly does not reflect the facilities in the rest of country, where the death rate among neonates (babies less than one month of age) is still alarming high. Many of these deaths can be easily prevented. Rural settings, lack of infrastructure, extreme poverty, poor hygiene and low levels of knowledge and education are all contributing factors.

Saving Babies Lives will reach 25,000 babies in one province in Cambodia over a 5 year period and aims to decrease the neonatal deaths by at least one third. This comprises of a unique programme of education, training and equally importantly, changing attitudes towards neonatal care. It will involve education sessions within villages and communities, and providing equipment and comprehensive training to all staff in the 48 health centres (staffed by midwives and nurses only and often in buildings with merely two rooms) and the single general hospital in the province where a special care baby unit will be established. 

Examples of some costs include supplying life saving neonatal resuscitation equipment to each of the health centres and a CPAP machine and Phototherapy lights to the hospital, as well as providing high quality intensive training and mentorship programmes to nearly 300 healthcare staff over the 5 years.

My Khmer colleagues and everyone I have met so far have made me feel very welcome and it is so exciting to be involved this life-changing and sustainable project. I will be running the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon at 5am on December 3rd and I would be grateful for any donations towards this worthy cause! Please send me an email if you have any questions or want to find out more.

អរគុណ (Thank you!)

Ailbhe