[dt_sc_blockquote align=”center” cite=”Sokchan Sim, MD, Neurosurgeon/Country Director, CMMC/JH-Cambodia”]Dear All
Another new era of CMMC/Jeremiah’s Hope has started. After a shaky three-month period of uncertainty due to the short of funding and unclear relationship with our partners, the CMMC/JH’s board of directors decided to start a new era from June 1st, 2011.
We have moved everything from the 3rd floor to the 2nd floor including clinic area and administration offices. Thanks to the re-grant of independency, we have started operating our surgical suites locally on an all-year-round basis. Dr. Tisopheap is seeing about 5 to 6 cardiac patients per day (both follow-up of post operative patients and surgery-awaiting patients). I, myself, see a few neurosurgical patients daily and get about one to two cases of neurosurgery per week, mostly simple spine surgery, discectomy and laminectomy. I also have some in-patient admissions intermittently, for head trauma, non-surgical strokes observations and medical treatments and other kinds of neurosurgical conditions. Since we are allowed to charge patients, based on their ability to pay, we are trying to make some income locally to contribute to the on-going expenses for the pay of staff salary, building rentals and other utilities. It has become obvious that this method is vital to running the operation for a long-term success.
Dr. Daniel Smith, our co-founder/cardiothoracic surgeon, and Dr. James DeLine, board member/ general surgeon spent one week in July trying to make logistic parts of the local operation go smoothly. They also conducted some important meetings with the board of HopeWorldWide/Sihanouk Hospital to discuss for further collaboration and the future vision of the two partners.
There will also be a possible collaboration with KNI (Kitahara Neurosurgical Institute) team, who led by a Japanese neurosurgeon, Dr. Shegimi Kitahara. His team would like to conduct a survey study of a feasibility of a big, modern hospital building in Phnom Penh in the near future. More details about the cooperation are being negotiated frequently between me and the KNI representatives. I hope, finally, to be able to do some high-tech neurosurgeries in this facility with the help of this Japanese group.
Because Dr. DeLine’s long-term vision is to send surgical teams from the US more frequently (10 to 12 teams per year), we are seeing the need of space for post-operative in-patient beds. We are proposing to get the 3rd floor back, and, with the help of some generous people in the US, the next container of equipment is being sent late next month to equip the new floor. Thanks again to Project-Cure for their kindness in donating medical equipment.
With the help from our ex-board member, RN, Gabriel Stevens, two of our Cambodian nurses are going to the Philippines for a two-year program of BSN. This means that next year we will have to recruit more new nurses to replace them and also to prepare for the up-coming many visiting surgical teams from the US in 2012, which Dr. DeLine is putting together.
The constant, unavoidable issue we are still facing is as always “budgeting”. Any kind of donations from you is important to us to continue this service to help upgrade the medical care for the needy in Cambodia, and at the same time, witness the Gospel through our quality medical services. Please visit our website www.cmmcjh.com if you want to make any kind of donations.[/dt_sc_blockquote]
