‘River Doctors’ group to provide medical care in delta
July 26 - August 1, 2010
A MOBILE health clinic set up in a river boat is now touring the Ayeyarwady delta and providing affordable health care to people living in hard-to-reach areas, organisers said last week.
River Doctors, a group of volunteer medical professionals established after Cyclone Nargis, will provide health screening and diagnostic services to residents of Bogale and Mawlamyinegyun townships, using a 39.6-metre (132-foot) long and 9.6m (32-foot) wide ship donated to the group by Pandaw River Cruises, U Aung Thein Myint said on July 19, the day the service was launched.
“I’ve had a plan to provide this service to delta villages since I went there for Cyclone Nargis recovery work,” said volunteer Dr P Kyaw Hla. “I joined River Doctors because I want to care for people who don’t have enough money to be treated. Often, these people die when they shouldn’t.”
Dr P Kyaw Hla said the mobile clinic would offer medical checkups, particularly for those who want to work abroad and need a medical certificate, as well as vaccinations, X-rays, intravenous programs, ultrasound scans and other services.
“We expect to mainly treat pregnant women, children and people who have suffered accidents or need small operations in areas that can’t be reached by car,” she said.
River Doctors will visit four villages in upper Bogale and four in lower Bogale, as well as some small villages in Mawlamyinegyun township, spending about two days twice a month in each village.
Spokesperson U Aung Thein Myint said the group had budgeted K100 million (about US$100,000) for the program, which would run indefinitely.
U Aung Thein Myint has donated some of the money, while the rest has come from Christian donors.
“We aren’t going to make any profit but so we can continue our work we will charge money, up to K1000, for some treatments so we can cover some of our costs,” he said.
The group includes three doctors, five nurses and other assistants. U Aung Thein Myint said the group hopes to expand to other areas of the country.
