Bou Soknen changed Health Care and nutrition for children

Before the project, she was lack of knowledge on health care and agriculture, illness, lack of hygiene, never go to have health check at HC, she didn't take care of children or our own health, believe of older people or tradition. Through involvement and learning with the project, she have more changed on health care and nutrition for children and as well as learning through play, she also mentioned that my family will have better living condition and my children go school and our health better, our community will more and more developed, I would like to say thanks to ADRA and donor who are supporting to our Cambodian people, especially my villagers

Most Significant Change of Ms. Nil Ngim brought her children to HC

Nil Ngim, 27 years old from Leng village in Tumring commune is one of these mothers now served by this new health centre. She is a farmer and has two children, a four-year old girl and a two-year old boy. Her children were both delivered at home because there was no health centre in the local area and going away from home would cost too much time and money. 

Most Significant Change of Ms. Chhay Kim, beneficiary of EMBRACE Project

Chhay Kim, 25 also delivered her first baby at home because travelling to the distant health centre would cost too much month. Touch Nang, at 38 years has had 4 children. Both her and her husband work for the rubber company. 3 of her children were delivered at home also, and again, because of finances and time, they did not want to travel to the far away health centre. 

World Breastfeeding Week 2019: "Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding"

Press Release

World Breastfeeding Week
By Project EMBRACE
Sandan District, Kampong Thom Province
August 20, 2019

On August 20, 2019, members of ADRA Cambodia’s EMBRACE team celebrated World Breastfeeding Week 2019 in Kleng Commune, Sandan district, Kampong Thom province. This year's World Breastfeeding Week slogan is “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.” Additional slogans were also present on the banners and produced T-shirts such as “I have breastfed my child, what about you?”; “We all support breastfeeding!”; “Breast milk is best medicine to protect children against various diseases!”; “Breastfeeding until the age of 6 months makes the baby smart and healthy!” They highlighted the best result from breastfeeding of mother to communities and key beneficiaries that EMBRACE project is targeting. The event was held in cooperation with the Provincial Health Department, Operational District of Health and the local authorities in Sandan district with total of 373 participants (241 females).

Key Objectives:

1.   Mothers need to start breastfeeding their babies immediately after delivery.

2.   To empower parents to encourage breastfeeding

3.   Provide single mother's milk to child during the first 6 months of life.

4.   Continue to breastfeed until at least 2 years of age and provide proper supplementation.

We were able to broadcast live on air via our project Radio program that was live at 10am to 11am from Kampong Thom Radio FM105.3 MHz in which we open questions for participants to ask guest speakers and chat related to the event. The special speakers presented were officials from the Provincial Health Department, Operational District of Health, Health center chief and midwives from Sandan district.

Mr. Roth Rumnea, a Senior Project Manager of the EMBRACE Project, said the program was designed to raise awareness among the community about breastfeeding and mother's milk only to their baby and to encourage all mothers to start breastfeeding immediately within the first hour after giving birth, which will provide her first milk. Exclusive breastfeeding should be practiced during the first six months and continue breastfeeding for at least 2 years of age with provision of appropriate supplementation.

Mr. Long Kisoeung, Sandan district Governor said that according to the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey report, the results show that in Cambodia, full breastfeeding practices of exclusive breastfeeding, the number has dropped from 73.5% in 2010 to 64.6% in 2014. Early breastfeeding onset within the first hour after delivery and continued breastfeeding up to 12 months was found to decline from 65.3% to 62.6% and decline from 83% to 80%. In addition, the provision of pre-defined supplementation increased significantly in both urban and rural areas between 2010 and 2014. He also added that "these drop rates is an urgent task to refine the practice of exclusively breastfeeding across the country." At the same time, there are many reasons for the decline in breastfeeding rates: migration, lack of knowledge about breastfeeding, cultural traditions, lack of support from family members and the widespread availability of products for sale of substitutes for breast milk (formula powder).  At the same time, he appealed to all mothers to take good care of breastfeeding to help the baby get the best start in life and help reduce illness.

Dr. Yim Phyvatho, deputy director of the Kampong Thom provincial Health Department, joyfully expressed his excitement and was happy for the community members in Kleng commune that could come together to celebrate this year 2019 World Breastfeeding Week for awareness and prevention of children health and their future. He also warned participants about the advertisement of dairy products such as Formula milk and pointed out that no other products are better than breast milk. Finally, he raised that the importance of breast milk is very important for the baby as there are a lots of benefits and enable children to avoid from many diseases.

Project EMBRACE (Enhancing Mother/Newborn/Child Health in Remote Areas through Health Care and Community Engagement), is being implemented by ADRA Cambodia. It is primarily funded by Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada department with support from ADRA Canada’s generous donors.

    

Press release of World No Tobacco Day by EMBRACE in Choam Ksant 2019

Press release of World No Tobacco Day by EMBRACE in Sandan 2019

Press Release: Opening Ceremony of Delivery/ Waiting Rooms and Health Center

Opening Ceremony of Delivery/ Waiting Rooms and Health Center

October 3, 2018

Kompong Thom, Cambodia

October 3, 2018 will be a very exciting day for the people of Tumring, Socheat, and Chheu Teal Communes in Sandan District, Kampong Thom province.

Two standalone labour and delivery room buildings and a health center with a labour/delivery room suite will be officially opened.  The buildings were constructed by ADRA Cambodia through the Enhancing Mother/newBorn/child health in Remote Areas through health Care & Community Engagement (EMBRACE) and HELP Health Center Construction projects.

EMBRACE began in February 2016 and is focused on improving the health of mothers and children living in remote regions of Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines, and Rwanda.  Over the course of its four year lifespan it will serve an estimated 100,000 people, of which about one third are children.

EMBRACE is also raising public awareness of maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) within Canada.

Within Cambodia, the EMBRACE project targets 168 communities in the Choam Khsant, Chey Saen, Rovieng, and Sandan districts and is directly improving the lives of approximately 39,990 people.

EMBRACE focuses primarily on improving and saving the lives of women of reproductive age, newborns, and children under five.  These objectives are achieved through health and nutrition behavior change, communication, and the empowering of staff and systems in health clinics. Building and equipping these labour rooms, delivery rooms, and the health center is key to this empowerment. The labour rooms reduce the risks for pregnant women by providing a space for them to stay before and after their delivery.

At March 2018, the percentage of mothers and pregnant women screened for warning signs related to the pregnancy, delivery, or health of child or mother and then referred to health centers or hospitals increased from 27.3% to 45.5%.  Referral and screening for pregnant women and girls and boys (U5) screened for malnutrition increased from 15.0% to 44.2% for girls and from 9.7% to 43.9% for boys. These new facilities will further help to improve these percentages.

The opening ceremony for all of these buildings will be conducted in one place at the new Health Center in Khors village, Tumring Commune.

The standalone delivery/waiting rooms are located at Sandan Health Center, Sandan Village, Sandan Commune and at Chheu Teal Health Center, in Kampong Taben village, Sandan district, Kampong Thom Province and were built by ADRA Cambodia through the EMBRACE project.  The new Health Center building with the delivery waiting room included in the main building is located at Khors village, Tumring Commune and was built in partnership with HELP Health Center Construction.  This includes ring wells, incinerators and equipment.

Approximately 500 persons will be present at the inauguration ceremony of the health center and delivery waiting rooms, including His Excellency Sok Lou, the Governor of Kampong Thom Province, Governor, Deputy Governors and officials around Sandan district, Kampong Thom Provincial Health Department Director, Kampong Thom Operational District, and Health Center Chief, Ms. Allison ​Stewart, Chargé d’affaires, Cambodia Office of the Embassy of Canada, Mr. Frank Spangler, representative from ADRA Canada, Mr. Mark Schwisow, Country Director of ADRA Cambodia, ADRA Cambodia project team members as well as students and community members from Tumring, Sochet and Chheu Teal Communes.

EMBRACE is funded by a partnership between the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada and ADRA Canada.  It is being implemented in Cambodia by ADRA Cambodia.

 

 

World Breastfeeding Week 2018: "Breastfeeding is a solid foundation of life"

World Breastfeeding Week

By Project EMBRACE
Sandan District, Kampong Thom Province
August 20, 2018

On August 20, 2018, members of ADRA Cambodia’s EMBRACE team celebrated World Breastfeeding Week 2018 on the theme of "Breastfeeding is a solid foundation of life and the yearly slogan are Breast milk is an invaluable magic medicine for preventing children from various diseases and breast milk, helping to develop the most intelligent baby brain." in Ngon commune, Sandan district, Kampong Thom province. They highlighted the best result from breastfeeding of mother to communities and key beneficiaries that EMBRACE project is targeting. The session was held in cooperation with the Provincial Health Department, Operational District and the local authorities in Sandan district with total of 250 participants (195 females) come from around Ngon commune Sandan district. Kampong Thom province.

Key Objectives:

1.   Mothers need to start breastfeeding their babies within 1 hour of first delivering, which will be useful first.

2.   Provide single mother's milk to child during the first 6 months of life.

3.   Continue to breastfeed until at least 2 years of age and provide proper supplementation.

We were able to broadcast live on air via our project Radio program that was live at 10am to 11 am from the Kampong Thom Radio FM105.3 MHz in which we open questions for participants to ask guest speakers and chat related to the event. And the special speakers are PHD, OD and HCs chief and midwives from Sandan district.

Mr. Ken Chamroeun, Senior Assistant Project Manager of the Sandan EMBRACE Project, said the program was designed to raise awareness among the community about breastfeeding and mother's milk only to their baby. He also added that breastfeeding immediately during the first hours after giving birth and can prevent 20% of babies' deaths. Only children who have been breastfed for the first 6 months can reduce diarrhea 11 times and pneumonia 15 times as much as children who have not been breastfed. Long-term breastfeeding is linked to advanced intelligence, good academic performance, and high earning outcomes.  He encouraged mothers to apply the messages from this event to provide better life for all human.

Ms. Sim Sidarath, deputy governor of Sandan District, said that according to the Demographic and Health Survey 2014, the results show that in Cambodia, the complete breastfeeding practice of exclusively breastfeeding was decreased from 73.5% in 2010 to 64.6% in 2014. Breast milk initiation in the first hours after giving birth and continuing breastfeeding to 12 months was found to decrease from 65.3% to 62.6% and to fall down from 83% to 80%. Additionally, predetermined pre-supplemental feeding has increased markedly in both downtown and rural areas between 2010 and 2014. Mrs. Deputy Governor added that seeing these drop rates are the most urgent task to improve the performance of single breast milk throughout the country. At the same time, there were several reasons for the drop in breastfeeding rates, such as: migration, lack of knowledge about breastfeeding, mother culture, cultural traditions, and lack of support from Family members.

Dr. Keo Dary, deputy director of the Kampong Thom Operation District Office, said that people in Ngon commune were lucky enough as we chose the location for the 2018 World Breastfeeding Week because within the area covered by the Kompong Thom Operational District Office, there are only two sites that will be in service. He also pointed out the importance of breast milk for the baby:

1) Breast milk is the first birth control vaccine for infants because the first milk contains antibodies against viruses and the white blood cells more than normal milk.
2) The first mother's milk helps keep the baby's intestines strong because they are rich in nutrients that can help prevent other allergic reactions.
3) Mother's milk is rich in herbs that help reduce the number of infections that can develop in babies.
4) Initial baby milk is small, but it can really respond to baby needs.

In the end, the doctor advised the mother to continue to implement the recommendations and continue to disseminate information to neighbors for understanding and reducing the risk of infant death.

Project EMBRACE (Enhancing Mother/Newborn/Child Health in Remote Areas through Health Care and Community Engagement), is being implemented by ADRA Cambodia.  It is primarily funded by Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada department with support from ADRA Canada’s generous donors.

EMBRACE Dissemination Meeting: Analyzing Results, Planning for Impact, Reach and Sustainability