Dr. Sieng Rithy AMDA Cambodia

AMDA established its first Cambodian project in 1992 in Phnom Srouch district, Kampong Speu province, by providing the support in rehabilitation and reconstruction of the district hospital (construction of district hospital building and health centre, human resources development, providing logistics, medicine and equipment support, provide management and financial support etc).

In the year 1993, AMDA implemented projects supporting the provision of medicine, renovation, and equipment to the Mental Health Program at Preah Norodom Sihanouk hospital – Phnom Penh, and established a day care centre in Treng Trayieng, a place where a number of internally displaced families are still accommodated.  In order to cope with the large number of children who cannot afford primary education, AMDA Cambodia organised a literacy program, coupled with basic health education to the parents at the centre.  This program gave the local children the access to primary education and information on primary health care.

AMDA started a clinic in Phnom Penh in 1997 which provides medical services such as general medicine, paediatrics, minor-surgery, laboratory test, echography and gynaecology, particularly targeting those suffering from extreme poverty and individuals disabled by landmines. This clinic has served approximately 14,000 people every year with the provision of medical consultations and treatments.  In the year of 1999, we have extended our services to Kampong Speu Province through a community mobile clinic for the disabled and the poor.

In 1999, AMDA initiated a program in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the Ministry of Health of Cambodia, aiming to improve the overall health system of the Ang Roka district in Takeo province.  AMDA has been contracted to manage all aspects of the district over a four-year period (1999-2002) which was later extended for a year until June 2004 due to the request from the Ministry of Health.  Among other initiatives, a series of vigorous training programs for health personnel is being implemented for the improvement of the overall services in the district.  AMDA’s intervention has made considerable achievement as recognised in an independent evaluation.

In 2000, AMDA reconstructed Chambak Primary School in Kampong Speu province (eight class rooms, and 6 toilets) funded by a Japanese construction company (in collaboration with AMDA Hyogo and AMDA High School Club.) We have supported this school in terms of management, as well as through technical support.

In 2002, AMDA introduced a new project for community development program through a health project in Phnom Srouch District, Kampong Speu province for mobilizing the people to think and take collective action to care for their own health.

AMDA first entered into a line ministry agreement with the Ministry of Health in 1992.  In 1997, projects under the direct administration of headquarters were transferred to local control, and the management was taken over by national staff.

AMDA Cambodia was funded in 1997 by Prof. Sieng Rithy, MD, MPH with other six Cambodian medical doctors. The establishment of AMDA Cambodia was strongly received the support and assistance from the President of AMDA International, Dr. Shigeru Suganami, MD, Ph.D. as well as from all staff of AMDA HQs and other chapters.

Certainly the most relevant past work experience that AMDA is in its highly successful management of the basic health services project at the Ang Roka OD for the past five years (Contracting Health Services Project : 1999-2004) .

Under AMDA’ s management, a transformation of the health situation in the OD has been observed, the details of which are outlined in the AMDA Ang Roka District Health Project’s annual reports. The achievements of the project were recognized by an independent evaluation, the results of which can be found in the Final Evaluation Report: Contacting for Health Services Pilot Project (CHSPP) published in November 2001.

In year 2004, AMDA initiated a new project calling School Health Education Program and targeting to the young student from universities and high schools in Phnom Penh city through peer to peer education program. This project focused on the Reproductive Health especially for HIV/AIDS and STIs. This project is still going on.

Currently AMDA Cambodia is cooperating with AMSA Cambodia to expand School Health Education Program to the university and high school students as well as to the informal students, the factory workers, and construction workers in Phnom Penh City.