A Breakthrough!

So sorry dear bloggers that it has been some time since I updated my blog I'm not sure where the time goes
Since my last post much has happened particularly on the work front hence the title of this blog. Up until now CMA has been very reluctant to tell me what it expects of me and how I can best help the senior team here.
Trying to analyse the reasons for this and find ways of overcoming the blocks has been exercising much of my ageing grey matter and occupying a lot of my thoughts and I have come to the conclusion that I have to ignore my in built paranoia and look at things from the perspective of these women in CMA
All are busy full time midwives working in local hospitals and clinics and now that I have visited a few more of these institutions I can well see their difficulties which include poor facilities and equipment far too many students to train and very poor pay (The head midwife in one hospital told me that her pay was less than $100 per month about £75)many like this lady are the sole breadwinners and therefore take on private patients as well as their government jobs
Most of the exec team and a few more experienced midwives from Phnom Penh undertake supervision and teaching visits to midwives and clinics in referal hospitals all over Cambodia there are 24 Provinces in total and CMA went to 8 last year and intend to go to the remaining 16 in 2011 This is a massive undertaking given that there is no infrastructure support to help them organise these trips which they fund themselves and then get back (eventually ) from the MoH so to have someone like me come along with loads of bright ideas there is no which they have no capacity to take on its no wonder they have given me a wide berth (excuse the pun!) but following a seminal meeting things are taking a turn for the better and I am to accompany the teams on their provincial visits and that will enable me to do some work with the branch leaders.
I have also got agreement to work with branch leaders on rewriting the constitution for CMA in return I have agreed to do a funding proposal to send to our health development partner NGO's and any one else I can think of to ask if they are able to support CMA financially over the next few years.
In addition through making contact with midwives working for WHO I went to work [yes bloggers you read it correctly actually do hands on work] in a clinic run by a christian charity in one of the poor districts of PP It is held mainly for ANC and a baby clinic but they also seemed to get a collection of other conditions turning up including a lady with a sprained ankle and a nail in a foot so despite my limited indeed rusty clinical skills I was able to take B?P's test urine and generally help the staff there. I have to say  it is the most useful I have felt since arriving in Cambodia and therefore want to return on a regular basis and they want me to go back too!!!!!
So am busy updating my clinical skills
They rely totally on donations of equipment to stock the clinic they always need clinical gloves syringes needles hand gel common medicines used in pregnancy and for new babies and so on so I may well be calling in a few favours from all my old pals working in NHS hospitals.
they also need baby and toddler clothes many of the babies and children coming to the clinic had no clothes on it was very sad to see but the place was so happy and cheerful despite the hardship and conditions it was wonderful to be a part of.
The clinic is free to the patients who use it and the charity also can help the very poor meet hospital expenses when they have their babies it also gives contraceptive advice so all in all a very comprehensive service.
Socially I gave a dinner party for four /five if you include John who turned up just in time for pudding not easy though when you only have 4 plates but it went well and every one seemed to enjoy it Gilly and Sam were the guests of honour as they had to come down from Kratie as Gilly had fallen and managed to break two fingers including one with a dislocation too so poor her I hope she is on the mend.
My social secretary Chris is on holiday at the moment with her family so my social calendar is a bit quiet i have had a couple of meals out with friends and got a busy weekend planned as I am going to a TED event on Saturday so that will be something to tell you all about next week
Take care all
Lea howee
Kath