Mission Cambodia

Although Cambodia has experienced some political stability and significant economic growth over the last few years, the health system remains weak. The growing economic disparities between the towns and the rural areas are increasingly apparent. Despite stabilisation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, due to the combined activities of the government and NGOs, the situation remains worrying in rural areas. Internal migration, poverty, human trafficking and prostitution are still major factors in the spread of HIV across the country.

Prioritising HIV - Phnom Penh

Activities :

The MdM programme provides medical and psycho-social care for destitute patients living with HIV. The project has continued to:

• provide specialist consultations for patients living with HIV. 2,000 patients are regularly monitored in the
consultation centre and, of these, 1,500 are receiving anti-retroviral treatment;
• train doctors;
• provide information sessions for patients concerning the illness and its treatment;
• hospital treatment for opportunistic infections;
• develop a continuum of care and support networks for people living with HIV/AIDS;
• support Cambodian NGOs established by people living with HIV;
• organise MdM’s eventual withdrawal to hand over to the local NGO Sharing Experience for Adapted
Development (SEAD).

Outlook :

The highlight will be MdM’s withdrawal and handover to SEAD on 30 September 2008 (with MdM funding for an expatriate medical co-ordinator for a further year). This will involve restructuring SEAD and training its members to ensure the continuation of activities and to guarantee the continuing operation of the NGO after handover.

August 2008