In Cambodia, the first infected case of COVID-19 was reported in late January and its spread hit the peak in mid-March. Although the number of new cases was temporarily increased in July, it has been decreasing. Only a few new cases were reported in September. During this term, FIDR has been taking various measures to prevent COVID-19 depending on the spreading situation.

1. Challenge during the operational suspension
In late March 2020, FIDR was forced to suspend the project activities due to the increasing infectious risk. In Cambodia, especially in provinces, health facilities didn’t equip preventive materials and disinfectants enough. Receiving the support request from our counterpart, Kratie Provincial Health Department, FIDR remotely conducted the emergency relief providing 140 boxes of surgical masks, 27 forehead scan thermometers, and one foggy machine for alcohol disinfection on 22nd April to Kratie Provincial Health Department. The materials were distributed to 1 department, 3 hospitals, 26 health centers, 14 health post, and other 3 health institutions. This relief was enabled by the financial commitment from one Japanese company, Sonton Holding Co., Ltd, the supporting corporate member of FIDR.

2. Learning how to wash hands in the hospital
In May when the number of infected cases started to decrease, FIDR resumed activities.
In June, FIDR collaborated with hospital nurses to conduct “Patient Education” in Kratie Provincial Referral Hospital. The nurses gave short lectures on “How to wash hand?” for patients and their families. They learned the proper way of hand washing using soap and practiced inside the patient room. One of the participants said, “I got to know that there are several steps to wash hands thoroughly. I will keep practicing handwashing to protect myself and my family”.

3. Advocacy in the community
FIDR also supports health centers in the community to conduct trainings sharing knowledge of surgical diseases. In villages of provinces, people could hardly learn health instruction directly in person. We are planning to invite public health officers from the authority and utilize this opportunity to disseminate preventive measures of COVID-19 to local people.

The heath staff was disinfecting the buildings and facilities of Kratie Provincial Health Department using the donated foggy machine.

A hospital nurse shared the appropriate hand washing way with soap to patients in Kratie Provincial Referral Hospital.