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Emergency Aid and Disaster Response
Politically isolated in the aftermath of the genocide, AmeriCares was first allowed to work in Cambodia in response to deadly floods that ravaged six provinces along the Mekong River in 1996. AmeriCares sent medical and humanitarian aid to help the more than 1.3 million people affected by Cambodia's worst flooding in 3 decades. Homes and crops were destroyed and half of the affected population required emergency aid and disaster relief. Record floods returned again from 1999 – 2001, followed by long periods of drought. In response, AmeriCares deepened its commitment to Cambodia and formed a strong partnership with one of the country's leading hospitals, HOPE Worldwide's Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE (SHCH). Over the past 12 years, AmeriCares has delivered over $110 million in medical aid to help care for the poor.
Medical and Humanitarian Aid
Since 1996, AmeriCares has delivered nearly 150 million worth of aid to Cambodia. AmeriCares leading local partner SHCH has played a vital role in improving health outcomes and medical expertise. It is now the busiest adult hospital in the country and has provided almost 1,000,000 outpatient consultations for patients in the capital city of Phnom Penh and outlying areas.
In order to provide free care to more than 90,000 impoverished patients each year, SHCH relies on monthly shipments of medicine and hospital supplies from AmeriCares to help stretch limited resources. HOPE worldwide, the hospital's parent organization, honored AmeriCares with their "Partner of the Year" award in 2007.
In partnership with AstraZeneca and AmeriCares, HOPE launched the Sihanouk Hospital Breast Cancer Initiative. The program aims to increase the number of breast cancer patients receiving treatment; develop clinical human resources in the field of breast cancer diagnosis and care; and raise public awareness about the disease. Astra Zeneca is donating its breast cancer treatment Anastrozole® in addition to a cash grant to pilot the program.
In response to high rates of HIVAIDS, AmeriCares also supports SHCH's home-based and community care programs with donations of medicines, infection control supplies and nutritional supplements. AmeriCares also provided a grant to launch a Mobile Health Clinic. In its first year, the Clinic provided primary care to 5,640 residents of Phnom Penh squatter communities, provided HIV/AIDS education to 4,500 individuals, distributed more than 19,000 condoms, provided 1,180 consultations for prevention of mother-to-child transmission and/or secondary infections related to HIV and has identified 42 new HIV/AIDS positive individuals, now receiving treatment through SHCH.
Improved Nutrition Resources in Cambodia
The World Health Organization (WHO) states, “Nutrition is the foundation of health and development. Better nutrition means stronger immune systems, less illness and better health for people of all ages.” Unfortunately Cambodia is a region where adults and children do not have consistent and reliable sources for good nutrition. Children in Asia have been identified by the WHO as having very high stunting rates. In 2006 UNICEF reported that Cambodia’s stunting rate in children under the age of five was 45%.
A well-balanced diet contains sufficient amounts of essential nutrients that are necessary for normal growth and development. It is recognized throughout the world that a well-balanced diet provides the nutrition and energy our bodies need to function. AmeriCares delivers Meal Packs donated by XanGo to help reduce risks associated with malnutrition. These meal packs contain some essential nutrients needed for a healthy diet and may be used as a nutritional supplement that is suitable for both children and adults.
For example, each XanGo Meal Pack contains 15% of daily iodine needs. This element is particularly important to Cambodia because iodine deficiency disorder is a longstanding public health problem and a preventable cause of mental retardation.
The International Council for Iodine deficiency reports approximately 35% of the households in Cambodia have access to iodized salt.
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