Stung Treng Where?..........

Stung Treng Province

Last week I took matters into my own hands in relation to finding out more about how maternal and newborn health care is delivered in the far reaches of Cambodia waiting to go out and about with CMA members was clearly not going to happen I have tried many times already and been thwarted every time.
The dedicated follower of these musings will recall that several of 'my group' are placed in Stung Treng which is in the North East of Cambodia on the border with Lao. Ingran a young ra......paediatrician and Jan and Thea from Holland working in education I had made a long standing promise when we parted in October to visit them in situ and there are a couple of new volunteers there now Wendy a hospital management advisor and Angela (and her husband Chris) have recently started a new placement there. Angela is a midwife of long standing and has forgotten more about midwifery than I will ever know she is there as midwifery advisor to the referral hospital and 7/8 surrounding health centres some of which are very remote indeed and can only be reached by boat.
As I had little to do at CMA I would kill two birds with one stone and go on a field visit as it is known in NGO land and see at first hand the challenges of delivering maternal and child health services in one of the remoter and poorer provinces
I travelled by minibus an experience in itself let me explain the procedure when you ring to book in English someone rings you back and tells you to be awake by 3am in my case I got another phone call at 4am to say they would pick me up in 10mins 40 Min's later they arrived I was bundled somewhat unceremoniously into a mini van occupying the middle seat which is very hard with no proper backrest or seat belt (don't tell my husband) and when you have lost as much padding as I have on the old derriere a 7 hour journey is a long time.However my fellow passengers were quite friendly and seemed to appreciate my faltering attempts at K'mai which caused great hilarity but looked after me throughout the journey.
I arrived at Jan and Thea's at about 11 as it was Sunday I spent a very enjoyable day with them in their home a little corner of Holland they have created. Thea is the most incredible cook and even made fried eggs and tomatoes taste amazing we caught up on all our news it was just such a relaxing time which was good as the next two days were to prove quite taxing in more ways than one............... 

Town of Stung Treng

A Glimpse of Paradise

Hello again dear blogging buddies
Just when you think that you have seen the best place in Cambodia along comes another one and  blasts you away such was my experience over the past few weekends but before I wax lyrical about my travels lets get you up to date with the business end first.

National Day of the MidwifeThe conference to celebrate National Midwives day went really well over 400 delegates attended mainly midwives from all Provinces in Cambodia we all wore CMA " T" shirts even the Prime Minister's wife Lok Chumteav Kittiprittbandit Buny Rany Hun Sen. She was the key note speaker and gave what I thought was a very hard hitting address calling for midwives and Dr's to show more kindness and compassion to women and the newborn she also called for the Ministry of Health to close down unlicensed pharmacies and clinics which was music to both mine and the Council's ears as they strive to introduce a regulation framework and system for Cambodia

 

Some of the midwives gathering to celebrate International Midwives Day

  Valuing Life Clinic
 I have missed a couple of Saturdays as I have been away but last Saturday I returned absolutely armed to the teeth with yet more baby clothes from my great pals at choir and the Nursery/Nursing students at Wakefield College thanks to you all once again.
Its great now as I am getting to know the women more and they always seem really pleased to see me.
The lady with malnutrition is doing really well her baby is continuing to grow and she looks so much better Baby Jinnie our 1.2 kg baby I did not recognise she is now 4kgs and looks as fit as a fiddle bright alert and feeding brilliantly. Her mum though is not doing so well she came to clinic full of bruises because the roof of her house (shack) caved in on her fortunately the baby was not with her at the time her blood pressure is still high and the clinic are going to refer and pay for her to have investigations she is the most fantastic mum and thanks to her little Jinnie is doing as well as she is so we must do all we can to get her well although her living conditions are awful.
The clinic is desperate for a permanent midwife to support Toinette the missionary midwife there they really need a Khmer midwife and I am going to try to help them find the right person but its a hard task so wish me luck.

One of the delightful students at the clinic doing ante natal checks

Health /related Professions Network  I have set up and chair an new informal health and related professions network for people either new to Cambodia or who work in isolated posts like me we have had two meetings so far and they have gone really well.
We have some really interesting people attending from all nations and its really good to see useful and productive connections being made
On my travels again
May dear blogger in Cambodia is just one long public holiday there is the Kings birthday for one which with the weekend gave us 5 days off. My pal Chris has had a friend Jenny staying with her and they very kindly agreed to let me tag along with them on their trip to Kep Province which is South West  of the country I have been before in November though but the weather was not brilliant this time it did not disappoint there was rain but not enough to put us off long country walks and dips in the the sea which was the most beautiful azure and as still as a mill pond.
The first day we went on a mountain (I use the term loosely) walk and Jenny a keen ornithologist was in raptures at the fauna with all kinds of birds and butterfly's the size of tea plates or so tiny they resembled flecks of brightly coloured confetti.
The following day we took a boat to Rabbit Island what a little haven the three of us found a quiet cove stripped off (not a pretty sight for the local fauna) and bathed in the cool calm sea Jenny did some snorpling (a Sally ism) and a great time was had by all only topped by a leisurely lunch eaten on the shoreline fresh grilled fish and salad there's no wonder I'm slim now!!! To be honest I did order chips but they were off that day.........

Rabbit Island

On my travels........As I mentioned in my introduction just when you think things can't get any better they jolly well do this time a trip to the opposite end of the country took Chris and I to Kratie Province staying in Kratie town which is situated on the Mekong river.
Gilly and Sam from my ICT group are both volunteers lucky enough to have a placement there they planned our trip with military precision and it did not disappoint after a long hot and noisy bus trip Chris and I were met by G&S and taken to their lovely Khmer home for afternoon tea and cakes plus fruit free jam!! then on a little tour of the town and drinks by the Mekong river to watch the sunset.
Kratie is reputed to have the best sunsets in Cambodia so who am I to argue they are stunning
The following day G&S had arranged for us to visit Koh Trong Island after a short boat trip and an exercise in walking the plank to get on to the boat which was scary! we disembarked into what I can only be describedSophal who took Chris and I on a tour of the island in his pony and cart sitting back to back we stared in wonder at the beauty and peace of this magical place.
The island is situated in the middle of the Mekong and visitors can travel the 9km loop road around the island through the peaceful Khmer villages fruit orchards rice fields whilst watching the daily routines of village life which has not changed for many years 
Sophal was brought up in an orphanage in PP he met his wife there although her parents were from the island he is a christian and they have 3 children Hannah (5) Martha (3) and Luke (1) they left PP to try to create a happier and healthier life for their children. Sophal has been asked by the commune chief to be in charge of tourism on the island he has set up a little information office and hires out bikes and takes folks around in his cart pulled by Mao his miniature pony.
After our tour he took us to meet his family who were a delight we were given refreshments including Pomello's for which the island is famous they are a type of huge grapefruit and also fresh mango's his wife showed us her small holding where they grow a range of fruit and vegetables the whole island acts as a cooperative and aims to be self sufficient in fresh produce.What they don't eat they can sell in Kratie
We visited the floating village where Vietnamese people live and the island's pagoda. The island has two schools two Watt's or Pagoda's and a police station with 7 policemen! unbelievable and says every thing about the police service in this country.
We bade Sophal and his wife a fond farewell wishing them luck for the future and their dream to open a small restaurant on the island
I cannot remember ever spending such a wonderful morning as I thought then life just does not get any better......
But in the afternoon G&S arranged for us to go to see the Irrawaddy Dolphins and it kept getting better we travelled by tuk tuk through villages full of  friendly happy children smiling waving and shouting their hello's at the landing point we hired a boat which took us out to where the Dolphins were basking and in the peaceful twilight we caught many sightings of these beautiful graceful creatures often hearing them blowing air before seeing them. I do not have the words to describe the beauty adequately enough I just know it will remain with me forever............
Lei Howie
Kath

An Irrawaddy Dolphin now a protected species only around 100 left in Cambodia. Many were killed by the Khmer Rouge and their oils sold to Viet Nam