COMPASSIONATE HEALTHCARE WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST.

We are a medical organization working in remote Cambodia where the most difficult hurdles to child survival remain. We work towards every child having the opportunity to reach his or her potential. Strengthening the social contract between society and the public healthcare system is central to what we do.

Three Reasons to Love Chenla Children’s Healthcare

The Chenla Team - Mar 5, 2020

  1. Chenla Children’s Healthcare’s boss. At Chenla the patient remains the boss. It is our mantra and a way of always remembering what is most important. Everything Chenla does is centered around meeting the medical needs of the most vulnerable children in eastern Cambodia. Most recent estimates in the region are that 1 out of 24 children die before his/her fifth birthday mostly from preventable or treatable causes. Chenla’s main goal is to greatly improve these numbers and treat every patient with the high quality and compassionate care he or she deserves.
  2. Chenla is smart and efficient in the use of funds. By working as a public-private partnership, Chenla utilizes sustainable government resources along with limited donor funds to achieve lasting change. Over half our patients are too poor to pay for their in-hospital treatment but partial reimbursement is provided by the government health equity fund. Quality and compassionate care is ensured for all because of generous but targeted donor funding. Every dollar is used wisely and directly helps the patients we serve. Over time, more of the financial responsibilities are assumed locally making Chenla a truly sustainable project.
  3. While having a strict boss (the patient) and maintaining high efficiently in everything we do are very important, the most important thing Chenla does is work from our hearts. This is not just a cheesy saying but truly the work spirit at Chenla Children’s Healthcare since it’s founding in 2017. Working passionately does not supplant quality care. It strengthens it, every day here in rural eastern Cambodia.

Read More.

The Challenge

Access to quality and affordable medical care where it is needed most.
To this day, 1 in 24 children in eastern Cambodia dies before his or her 5th birthday most often from preventable or treatable causes. This rate is far higher than other parts of Cambodia (Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2014). They die because of extreme poverty combined with the lack of a quality medical system. They don't have to die. Every dollar raised for Chenla Children's Healthcare is spent on the ground in Kratie Cambodia to provide life saving services. Targeted funding has been obtained for the minimal accounting costs occurring in the United States. Donor dollars are catalyzed by Chenla Children's Healthcare participation in the government health care system thereby producing sustainable change with appropriate buy in by the Cambodian nascent system. With your assistance, more lives can be saved. Project in Detail

How We Got Here

From Harvard to Siem Reap to Kratie, Eastern Cambodia.
After 7 years of hard work and successfully handing over Angkor Hospital for Children to Cambodian leadership we, Drs Bill & Lori Housworth, decided to pack up and move our family from Siem Reap to Kratie in eastern Cambodia. We founded Chenla Children's Healthcare and are taking our experience and applying it to a region where the greatest healthcare challenges remain. The Chenla team is majority Cambodian with many years of experience in pediatric healthcare development. While we, Bill and Lori, carry 10 years work experience in Cambodia, American Board of Pediatrics certifications and public health training from Harvard, the entire team has the invaluable practical skills and knowledge needed to serve the children in eastern Cambodia exceedingly well. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magazine_article/a-calling-in-cambodia/

The Opportunity

Improve and strengthen the public sector's role.
We have a tremendous opportunity to save lives and to strengthen the public sector's role in providing high quality pediatric health services in eastern Cambodia. What Chenla is doing:
  • Providing direct patient services to children affected by poverty and disease in a newly renovated pediatric ward and clinic, that includes neonatal care and a social work department to assess and assist with social determinants of health
  • Providing a combination of healthcare outreach and health education to surrounding rural districts targeting the most poverty stricken areas
  • Improving standards of medical care through training and capacity building of local staff
  • Establishing a stabilisation, transport and referral centre to coordinate care for children when higher level services, such as intensive care, cancer treatment, or heart surgery are needed.
Chenla works alongside the local government and operates as a part of the provincial hospital rather than as a parallel structure, thus ensuring long term sustainability.

The Limiting Factor.

Securing enough funding to scale the program.
The key to the success of Chenla is the ability to scale the program to its appropriate size. This means hiring talented clinical and teaching staff, acquiring medicines and medical supplies, and providing outreach activities. Overtime it is aimed for the program to become sustainable within Cambodia itself with a growing portion of costs paid through the government system and patient fees. Until that time a lot of work needs to be done. We rely on partners for contributions and support. Will you help us fight child mortality in Eastern Cambodia? Financial Statements and Further Information 2017 Financial Statements 2018 Financial Statements Chenla in a Nutshell Chenla in Detail