Nurses to give jabs to Cambodia’s poor

Two Rockingham City Family Practice nurses will join a team of healthcare professionals on a trip to Cambodia this month to provide free medical aid to Cambodians living in extreme poverty.

Organised by Palm Springs Medical Centre’s Dr Andre Leong, the medical humanitarian mission aims to provide free medical aid to orphanages and several floating villages in Siem Reap.

Registered nurses Andrea Boot and Wendy Cooke will travel to Siem Reap this month to administer the hepatitis B vaccine to about 350 children. Ms Boot said hepatitis B was endemic in rural Siem Reap, with many villagers suffering from end-stage liver failure and liver cancer as a result of the condition going untreated.

“It’s a horrible infection, and because they are living in confined spaces, children can get it easily,” she said.

“So we’re going over to help provide the second round of vaccinations to try to prevent its spread.”

The team will also run a medical clinic as part of the trip, providing free medical treatment to as many villagers as possible.

“The floating villagers are not recognised by the Government over there so it’s the humanitarians that often go and help with their healthcare,” Ms Cooke said.

“It will definitely be an eye-opener for us.”

The nurses said while the weekend would be challenging, they were both looking forward to the experience and helping communities who needed it most.