17th to 29th of August 2019
Writer: Ted Mlynarz & Dr William Trinh
“An act of kindness changes lives”
It has been seventeen years since Australian Health Humanitarian Aid (AHHA), previously known as Vietnam Vision Projects - Australia, embarked on field trips to help the poor and needy people of Vietnam. Since then the area of operations have expanded to providing aid to poor and displaced people in Cambodia.
With every act of kindness by our volunteers, donors and supporters, a human life is improved.
On Saturday 17th August 2019, around eighty volunteers from Australia and New Zealand gathered in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to begin the 2019 AHHA Mission to provide free Medical Examinations, Eye Surgery, Dental Procedures and Humanitarian Services to poor and needy people in Cambodia.
During the previous year patients were screened and selected by volunteers from AHHA and our Cambodian partners, Khmer Sight Foundation (KSF), who visited isolated villages outside Phnom Penh selecting patients in need of eye surgery and dental treatment.
In Phnom Penh, over a period of six days, the following was achieved:
Phnom Penh Results
| Medical / Eye Examinations | 766 |
Including distribution of Medicine, Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses.
| Eye Tests | 154 |
| Cataract Surgeries | 504 |
| Dental Procedures | 505 |
Disadvantaged Children resulting in over 1000 Procedures
The eye team worked at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital while the dental team operated from the University of Puthisastra, Dental Clinic.
Seminars relating to cataract and dental procedures were held at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital and the University of Puthisastra in Phnom Penh respectively, providing the latest information to local medical professionals. Both seminars were well attended and enthusiastically received.
A ceremony at the Ophthalmology Clinic of the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital was held on Tuesday 27th August 2019 to acknowledge and thank AHHA for donations of much needed eye/cataract surgery equipment such as a Phaco Machine, a Zeiss Master Machine and AHHA’s Opthalmology Training Program.
Isolated villages outside of Phnom Penh were visited for distribution of Water Filters, Rice and financial contributions. These are Tach and Phsa Chhnang along the Tonle Sap river with people living on both land and floating village on the water.
The people from these villages are extremely poor and every contribution from AHHA was gratefully accepted.
Following the completion of operations in Phnom Penh, from 26th to 29th August 2019, a small group of AHHA volunteers travelled to Kampong Chhnang to visit the isolated village of Sinok Tru where desperately poor people survive from day to day with barely a bowl of rice to eat each day. The visit provided medical and eye examinations as well as distribution of medicine, prescription glasses, sunglasses, water filter kits, 10kg bags of rice and financial donations.
Over one and a half days the following services were provided:
Kampong Chhnang Results
| Medical Examinations | 360 |
Including distribution of Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses.
| Eye Tests | 154 |
| Cataract Surgeries | 34 |
| Gynaecology Treatments | 145 |
| Humanitarian Services | 600 |
Families Received a Water Filter System, a 10kg Bag of Rice, and an equivalent of US$10.00 each.
On the 28th of August 2019, a ceremony was conducted for the official opening of a building at Sinok Tru village, Kampong Chhnang Province. The construction of the building, as a community centre, was financed by donations received by AHHA and will be used to provide medical services and health education to improve community health care.
AHHA would like to acknowledge the following supporters who made the August 2019 Mission possible:
HRH Prince Sisowath Tesso
Cambodian Ministry of Health
Professor Meng Ngy, Dr Seiha Do, Dr Long Chhour and staff at Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital.
HE Mr Sean Ngu and volunteers of Khmer Sight Foundation.
HE Ms Serey Chea and volunteers of Cambodia National Bank.
Dr Theavy, Ms Socheta Por and staff of Smile Centre, Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital.
Professor Callum Durward, Dr Serebot, Dr Bunhay and students and staff at the Dental Clinic, University of Puthisastra.
Father Stepanus Winarto of Kampong Chhnang Parish.
Sister Maria Dang and volunteers of Sinok Tru village, Kampong Chhnang Province.
AHHA volunteers, donors and supporters.