The project stems from the vision of the CCHS, which is: “to bring the love of God for the poor and suffering by and providing optimistic attitude on health care in order to promote a healthy lifestyle and develop productive citizens in the countryside”
I. General Objectives
“To provide consultation and treatment (primary health care) to people in the target areas free of charge and to contribute to reduce poverty and enhance of Cambodia health status”. There are four specific objectives, according to the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health:
1. To give free community based health care to the poor people and vulnerable groups in the target area. Assist them to make use of the different health related resources within their community for the treatment of their illnesses and for their wellbeing.
2. To cooperate with the Provincial Health Departments (PHDs) and relevant health facilities in capacity building for local residents and vulnerable groups of people through health education as primary health care
3. To support and render health care to poor patients and their families through holistic healing physically, psychologically and socially
4. To strengthen the capacity of the CCHS for project planning, management, monitoring and evaluation, administration and financial management
II. Project Components and Description of Activities
The following are the main programmatic components of the CCHS project:
Shelters (St. Elizabeth):
The shelters provide diagnostic, counseling and treatment services, and referrals to various health facilities in Phnom Penh. Patients who are in need of referral and whose conditions are acute (rather than chronic) are accommodated in St. Patients who need chronic care, or are in advanced and terminal stages of disease, such as Cancers, are accommodated in St. Elizabeth, where palliative care is provided, as well as funeral services. Elizabeth seems to be more like a hospice. Patients in both facilities are provided with all necessary medicines, access to laboratory examinations, x-rays and other diagnostic tests. Food, beds, basic necessities, and transport to/from the hospitals and back to the provinces is also provided. Bedside Care is provided by the health facilitators, the shelter physicians and the night shift volunteers. Provincial Health Care Program:
This includes the provinces of Takeo, Sihanoukville, and Kampot, which are all under the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh. In each province there are trained local health volunteers, known as the Local Health Referents (LHR) who are responsible for providing basic health education to villagers, following up returning patients, and accompanying patients to local health facilities. The LHRs work under the supervision of a provincial program manager. This component also communicates and liaises with the provincial health directors of each of the three provinces. Psycho social support and Spiritual Accompaniment
Two nuns from Korea are volunteering at both shelters and provides spiritual accompaniment activities, through one-on-one counseling and reflection, occupational and vocational activities, sharing bible stories and the lives of saints through videos, and art classes.They also assists patients who wish to be baptized into the Catholic faith and helps them prepare to receive the Holy sacraments, or organize masses and prayers.
