katja-horsch

The kittens are 3 month now and the female one (Phia) is already in Kratie to start her new life with Abi. She has a new name now, called: Rocky Lobster, as far as I'm aware.

we are nearly 3 month old now!

The other two I am still in the process of "selling". Even wrote an article in our local volunteers magazine:

About cats and other bad luck

It is rare to find a female cat in a Cambodian household. Usually, as soon as female cat babies are born, they get killed by drowning or feeding them to the dogs or pigs. The same happens usually with female puppies.
The reason is that they just keep on producing more and more babies. As if it was their fault.
They also always have to hide in order to survive. As everyone knows, the dogs like to chase cats and usually once the dog has bitten the cat it hasn’t got a happy ending.

Rambo comforts Tilda

Phia

little Tilda...

If I think of my cat Pixi, who I left in England,
she had such an easy life. She had kittens twice, then got neutered by an expensive vet. She had all her regular check-ups and even a chip into her neck implanted so that she couldn’t get lost. A variety of cat food stood in front of her pink nose every 8 hours and she liked to laze around usually on the pillow of my bed (which she wasn’t actually allowed to lie on and she knew that exactly).

Here in Stung Treng I adopted a female cat who just happened to be around. She was especially attentive to me, because she was pregnant. Usually that happens in this situation. Cats are more lovingly and show you their love all the time.
Srey-Niem wasn’t different. So I felt the affection and started to give her attention too and I bought fish for her. Cambodian cats usually get a mix of three quarters rice and one quarter fish.
In addition they catch mice of course and if they really love you, they leave you a present. I wondered what the smell was in my room for 3 days, then I discovered a rotten mouse under my bed. The other day I nearly tread onto a mouse head left in front of my door and one day, I even had a dead gecko lying there.

little Phia...

so curious...

Yes I know you're looking for a nice home...

A cat pregnancy lasts around 65 days. When Srey-Niem went into labour, it was around 4.30 in the morning and she kept trying to crawl under my mosquito net. She was very demanding. I had a big plastic bowl with towels prepared for her, but she kept jumping up to my bed, even when the water was broken already. So I put her back into the bowl and stayed with her and witnessed the birth of 2 little kitten babies in the early morning hours. She didn’t give a noise away and she did it all by herself. It was amazing. Then I had to go to work and when I came back, there was another one. 3 newborn ginger kittens arrived and have now all their live ahead.

How will it be, I wondered? So far they have the best treatment and my Cambodian family is a little bit ashamed about it. Me, the barang buying fish for them at the market and bringing cat food from Phnom Penh, building a box for more protection, washing the towel they sleep on, building a cat toilet, filling the water bowl every day with fresh drinking water, giving them warm attention and play time. That is very unusual here as you all might know. What will the neighbors think?

very tired from so much playing...

Srey-Niem is about 3 years old and she has had kittens regularly. That means all the time. I’ve seen the last one’s just died away on starvation and disease. Nobody cared for them. For me that is a difficult thought.

I am glad that I can make a difference this time and so far, all 3 kittens are very healthy and pure joy. They grow steadily and get every day wilder. I asked my little friend and my two nieces at home to give them names. So the two boys are called: Rambo and Tilda and the little girls name is: Phia.

All three eat solid food now and I am proud to say that they are potty trained. On the 13th of September, they will be 3 months old.
I love them very much and don’t want to give them away. But of course it would be better, if one of you VSO volunteers (or if you know someone else who can provide a good home for them) would like to have a little mouse eating companion. You then can try to persuade me and the names are changeable.

Little Phia found already a home. She is going to Kratie soon, Abi very kindly takes this bundle of joy to give her a wonderful start into her new cat’s live.

I could get hold of the vet in Stung Treng to stop any more pregnancies after finding out about possible contraception for her. He is able to give a quarterly hormone injection. Neutering is not available for female cats here in Stung Treng. The male cats get castration for 10$ on the kitchen table. Men always have it easier. But unfortunately for Srey-Niem it is too late. She is pregnant again.

mother and son

It might sound funny, but I can see similarities between female cats and Cambodian women, who live in rural areas.
It is about the suppression, living a life that is constantly focused on own survival and the survival of the children, getting pregnant and having no protection, fighting constantly for food and living in the hidden.

this is not my demon, its a real cat!

I couldn’t have imagined to have a cat or pet while I am here, but I can assure, it is not a bad thing at all. It keeps you company and makes you laugh and it’s good for your well being I believe. Of course we all go home at some point, but then we will leave a happy, strong, well fed cat behind who will be thankful that you shared your love with them. And the next volunteer might be happy to take over from you.

So if you want a cute kitten but they’ve all gone already
this time, don’t worry, in 65 days, there will be more!

Miau! Contact me! Katja Horsch.
089 233 458. Free delivery and cat food!

This is it, no more about cats in the next blog. I promise!

Here some more interesting stuff:

We had the british Ambassador for a visit at the RTC which was exiting!

questioning some students about their student life at the RTC

a tour around the student accommodation buildings

these are books I've received for free by an english training course designer

our workplan in drawing

Carol and me

I've also been invited to do some training support in Oli's hospital in Thmar Pouk in the North-west. That was a nice experience and I basically helped the Chied Nurse to do a presentation about the new nursing documentation and about the nursing process and afterwards we went to the wards to practise everything.

with Sokpha, Oli's VA and Mr. Vannak, the Head nurse of TP RH

a midwife puts her ideas onto the board

at the peadiatric ward in Thmar Pouk

I've also visited Oli's newly build childrens ward which looks fab. He is now in the process of making it child-friendly.

Chanty and her second baby

Thmar Pouk itself was beautiful as ever

but also very muddy, especially because there are no proper roads to walk on...

Oli's daily way to work...

ot la-or!

On the way home, Oli accompanied me to Siem Riep and we stayed there for another few days, because it's so nice there.

"we are not here to be eaten, we eat from your feet!"

a slightly crazy Cambodian, who then later jumped through that ring of knifes

Apsara dancing in the temple-bar in Siem Riep

We've been to Phnom Penh for several occasions, mostly meetings : )...

jame's Birthday party in CHOW

what about your hair like this, Susan?

food is coming soon!

Mr. Health and Safety wears a yellow jacket even in Phnom Penh!

Holli and Carol in Kratie, enjoying the Sunset

all nursing students year 3 infront of the RTC

We've also visited Diamnond Island and Naga-World, which is a huge expensive complex with a casino.

the newest addition to PP's Diamond Island is this Kitsch Park

... just can't get enogh...

Cambodian darting- 1 dart, 1000 Riel

usually I am good in darting...this time it took me 5 darts to hit one ballon

After dragging Oli into the merry-go-round, he needed 5 minutes afterwards to gain normal skin colour back

Phnom Penh newest high-tech construction project

Win Big!

a giant chandelier from below in Naga World

inside the Aristrocrat Wine and Cigar Bar, only affordable because of happy hour!

hairy butterflys on the ceiling to promote malaysian mooncakes

in front of Naga World, PP

And also we went to see several films in Meta-house, which is run by Germans, and downstairs is an art gallery with changing exhibitions...

so rude...

We had volunteer gatherings in Stung Treng...

this hideous dress I got as a present from my landlady who thinks, I look with it like a film star!

we had all veggi food, yum!

Party in Carols house, Maria, Ferdi, Carol, Linda, Louisa, Ant, Rach and me

Touch made Sushi!

the waffle lady in Stung Treng, mmmhh yummy!

I've been to Kratie for one week to observe the Facilitators of the 2nd Preceptor & Clinical Instructor Training week, which capacity I tried to built up.
I stayed with Abi,

Abi and a neighbours baby

who is another VSO Health volunteer and who works as a Nursing Advisor in the Referral Hospital.

Abi in her house with neighbours children

We had a lot of fun during that week and it was workwise also very productive and interesting.

Abi and Mr. Rithy

me with my favourite teacher from the RTC

me and Abi on the way to a massage

Kratie view

red flower tree in Kratie PHD

all participants from the 2nd Preceptor and Clinical Instructor Training week in Kratie

Kratie, there's a shower on the way...

Kratie River view

my Heros! Mr. Sinal, Mr. Sokoehn, Mr. Rithy and Mr. Seylak

Back in Stung Treng, we celebrated Hor, who moved on from his Job in the RTC to a Job with VSO in the Programme Office in Phnom Penh. That means that our team in the RTC has become smaller and Carol and me have to struggle through all the financial issues of the project ourselves.

the Stung Treng Dwarfs... me, Maria, Ant, Rach and Carol

this dish is called: cow climbing up the hill

Hor's goodbye party in Stung Treng with all the Stung Trengers

our last picture together on Hor's leaving do : (

a Cambodian and a Brit

Hor and Sithon sing Karaoke in Stung Treng Karaoke Bar

Another reason to go to Phnom Penh last month was, that Holli and Nono were leaving Cambodia after 2 years. It is really strange saying goodbye to people you've known now for the entire time being here and suddently they go home and you stay on.

on Nonos last night in Cambodia. Holli left the day after Nono left : (

Emily and Holli

Live Jazz in Studio 182

Oli and Emily

yes, Mr. Hendrix was there too!

We visited Paul, who had a fractured leg and enjoyed the pool at the Pavillion...

poor Paul with his plaster...

volunteers have a life, I tell you...

together in the Pav, visiting Paul

the very appriciated library in the PO

how much I like the Programme Office... it's my second home.

the living room area in the PO

A 5, Programme Office PP

It was really hard to say goodbye to Holli, who unfortunately lately suffered for the second time from Dengue fever...

This is all you take with you after spending 2 years in Cambodia...

goodbye Holli! See you in Oxford!

I hope to see her in England next year when I return.

Oli and me have to prepare for this year's Angkor Wat run! It's the time of the year again. It will be this year on the 5th of December and I remember last year, how hard I trained for it first with Delia, then on my own during ICT, then also with Oli and I did the 10 km in 56 minutes. It was amazing.
This year I feel rather unfit and a little slow and I can't imagine to do the same again, but the competitive side in me thinks, I can even do a better time.
To have another challenge, Oli and me want to do the 30 km bike ride as well a day before the run. Gosh, he's so ambicious and super fit!
To train for it, we go running at the Olympic stadium or at the River side when we're in PP.

the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh early moring

Oli tried to beat me in running, not knowing about the consequences...

after the resuscitation

all hot and sweaty at 7o'clock in the morning

On our last trip to PP, I showed Oli the beautiful Royal Palace. I've been there before with Antje and Mami, so the you've seen pictures before, but these ones Oli took are just spectacular. He's a very good photographer. Enjoy!

Oli what are you staring at?

Otherwise Oli and me discovered the Lindy-Hop-Swing-Dancing and trying to get lessons whenever we are in Phnom Penh. It's great fun and sooo groovy.
Then I am in the process of re-registering with the NMC. And the Highlight is that I am very exited to announce, that Dave is coming to visit me this coming weekend.

The bad news is, that my camera is completly dead now so no more pictures so soon from me...

The next blog will be about the north of Vietnam. Oli and I are planning to fly to Hanoi in 3 weeks for 10 days! It will be the Royal Ploughing festival here in Cambodia so many Holidays are coming up again!

Otherwise I hope all is well and the autumn back home is glorious.

All the best and hear from your soon! Love from your Katja!

a VIP Tuk-Tuk

written by

katja-horsch on September 14, 2010 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia

from the travel blog: 16 months here

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In this blog, I wanted to clarify, the other reason of being here in Cambodia.

After telling you all about my amazing travels, it also might be interesting to you, why I am where I am at the moment.

It has all to do with the Millenium Development Goals, which are to be achieved by 2015. That's what my organization works on and me also, in a very small way.

Here are some facts to read for you for a better understanding:

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that all 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. They include reducing extreme poverty, reducing child mortality rates, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing a global partnership for development.

Background:
In 2001, recognizing the need to assist impoverished nations more aggressively, UN member states adopted the targets. The MDGs aim to spur development by improving social and economic conditions in the world's poorest countries.
They derive from earlier international development targets, and were officially established at the Millennium Summit in 2000, where all world leaders present adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration, from which the eight goals were promoted.

Goals:
The percentage of the world's population living in extreme poverty has halved since 1981. Most of this improvement has occurred in East and South Asia.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were developed out of the eight chapters of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, signed in September 2000. There are eight goals with 21 targets, and a series of measurable indicators for each target.

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Target 1A: Halve the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day
o Proportion of population below $1 per day (PPP values)
o Poverty gap ratio [incidence x depth of poverty]
o Share of poorest quintile in national consumption
• Target 1B: Achieve Decent Employment for Women, Men, and Young People
o GDP Growth per Employed Person
o Employment Rate
o Proportion of employed population below $1 per day (PPP values)
o Proportion of family-based workers in employed population
• Target 1C: Halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
o Prevalence of underweight children under five years of age
o Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
• Target 2A: By 2015, all children can complete a full course of primary schooling, girls and boys
o Enrollment in primary education
o Completion of primary education
o Literacy of 15-24 year olds, female and male

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
• Target 3A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015
o Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education
o Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector
o Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
• Target 4A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate
o Under-five mortality rate
o Infant (under 1) mortality rate
o Proportion of 1-year-old children immunised against measles

Goal 5: Improve maternal health
• Target 5A: Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio
o Maternal mortality ratio
o Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel
• Target 5B: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health
o Contraceptive prevalence rate
o Adolescent birth rate
o Antenatal care coverage (at least one visit and at least four visits)
o Unmet need for family planning

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
• Target 6A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
o HIV prevalence among population aged 15–24 years
o Condom use at last high-risk sex
o Proportion of population aged 15–24 years with comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS
o Ratio of school attendance of orphans to school attendance of non-orphans aged 10–14 years
• Target 6B: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
o Proportion of population with advanced HIV infection with access to antiretroviral drugs
• Target 6C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
o Prevalence and death rates associated with malaria
o Proportion of children under 5 sleeping under insecticide-treated bednets
o Proportion of children under 5 with fever who are treated with appropriate anti-malarial drugs
o Prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis
o Proportion of tuberculosis cases detected and cured under DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course)

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
• Target 7A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources
• Target 7B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
o Proportion of land area covered by forest
o CO2 emissions, total, per capita and per $1 GDP (PPP)
o Consumption of ozone-depleting substances
o Proportion of fish stocks within safe biological limits
o Proportion of total water resources used
o Proportion of terrestrial and marine areas protected
o Proportion of species threatened with extinction
• Target 7C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation (for more information see the entry on water supply)
o Proportion of population with sustainable access to an improved water source, urban and rural
o Proportion of urban population with access to improved sanitation
• Target 7D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers
o Proportion of urban population living in slums

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
• Target 8A: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
o Includes a commitment to good governance, development, and poverty reduction – both nationally and internationally
• Target 8B: Address the Special Needs of the Least Developed Countries (LDC)
o Includes: tariff and quota free access for LDC exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for HIPC and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA (Overseas Development Assistance) for countries committed to poverty reduction
• Target 8C: Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
o Through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly
• Target 8D: Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term
Indicators
Some of the indicators listed below are monitored separately for the least developed countries (LDCs), Africa, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.
• Official development assistance (ODA)
o Net ODA, total and to LDCs, as percentage of OECD/DAC donors’ GNI
o Proportion of total sector-allocable ODA of OECD/DAC donors to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation)
o Proportion of bilateral ODA of OECD/DAC donors that is untied
o ODA received in landlocked countries as proportion of their GNIs
o ODA received in small island developing States as proportion of their GNIs
• Market access
o Proportion of total developed country imports (by value and excluding arms) from developing countries and from LDCs, admitted free of duty
o Average tariffs imposed by developed countries on agricultural products and textiles and clothing from developing countries
o Agricultural support estimate for OECD countries as percentage of their GDP
o Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity
• Debt sustainability
o Total number of countries that have reached their HIPC decision points and number that have reached their HIPC completion points (cumulative)
o Debt relief committed under HIPC initiative, US$
o Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and services
• Target 8E: In co-operation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable, essential drugs in developing countries
o Proportion of population with access to affordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis
• Target 8F: In co-operation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications
o Telephone lines and cellular subscribers per 100 population
o Personal computers in use per 100 population
o Internet users per 100 Population

Progress:
Progress towards reaching the goals has been uneven. Some countries have achieved many of the goals, while others are not on track to realize any.The major countries that have been achieving their goals include China (whose poverty population has reduced from 452 million to 278 million) and India due to clear internal and external factors of population and economic development.

However, areas needing the most reduction, such as the Sub-Saharan Africa regions have yet to make any drastic changes in improving their quality of life. In the same time as China, the Sub-Saharan Africa reduced their poverty about one percent, and are at a major risk of not meeting the MDGs by 2015.Fundamental issues will determine whether or not the MDGs are achieved, namely gender, the divide between the humanitarian and development agendas and economic growth, according to the Overseas Development Institute.
To accelerate progress towards the MDGs, the G-8 Finance Ministers met in London in June 2005 (in preparation for the G-8 Gleneagles Summit in July) and reached an agreement to provide enough funds to the World Bank, the IMF, and the African Development Bank (ADB) to cancel an additional $40–55 billion debt owed by members of the HIPC. This would allow impoverished countries to re-channel the resources saved from the forgiven debt to social programs for improving health and education and for alleviating poverty.
Backed by G-8 funding, the World Bank, the IMF, and the ADB each endorsed the Gleaneagles plan and implemented the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative ("MDRI") to effectuate the debt cancellations. The MDRI supplements HIPC by providing each country that reaches the HIPC completion point 100% forgiveness of its multilateral debt. Countries that previously reached the decision point became eligible for full debt forgiveness once their lending agency confirmed that the countries had continued to maintain the reforms implemented during HIPC status. Other countries that subsequently reach the completion point automatically receive full forgiveness of their multilateral debt under MDRI.
While the World Bank and ADB limit MDRI to countries that complete the HIPC program, the IMF's MDRI eligibility criteria are slightly less restrictive so as to comply with the IMF's unique "uniform treatment" requirement. Instead of limiting eligibility to HIPC countries, any country with annual per capita income of $380 or less qualifies for MDRI debt cancellation. The IMF adopted the $380 threshold because it closely approximates the countries eligible for HIPC.
Yet, as we head towards 2015 increasing global uncertainties, such as the economic crisis and climate change, have led to an opportunity to rethink the MDG approach to development policy. According to the 'In Focus' Policy Brief from the Institute of Development Studies, the ‘After 2015' debate is about questioning the value of an MDG-type, target-based approach to international development, about progress so far on poverty reduction, about looking to an uncertain future and exploring what kind of system is needed after the MDG deadline has passed.
The effects of increasing drug use has been noted by the International Journal of Drug Policy as a deterrent to the goal of the MDGs.

Challenges of the Millennium Development Goals:
Although developed countries' aid for the achievement of the MDGs have been rising over the recent year, it has shown that more than half is towards debt relief owed by poor countries. As well, remaining aid money goes towards natural disaster relief and military aid which does not further the country into development. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2006), the 50 least developed countries only receive about one third of all aid that flows from developed countries, raising the issue of aid not moving from rich to poor depending on their development needs but rather from rich to their closest allies.

What are the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals?

What is the difference between the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals (CMDGs)?
The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC), as one member state of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), is firmly committed to bridging the gap between global commitments and national progress, and between aggregate national and local development outcomes. In 2003, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) adapted the 8 universally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to better suit the realities of the country. Recognizing that one major constraint to development is the continued contamination of mines and unexploded ordinance (UXO), the RGC added de-mining, UXO and victim assistance as the ninth major development goal. Cambodia's MDGs (CMDGs) thus consist of the following 9 goals:

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
Goal 9: De-mining, UXO and victim assistance

CMDGs include 9 goals, 25 targets and 106 indicators. In 2008 the MDG indicator framework was modified globally, but the CMDG indicators have not yet been modified accordingly.
As part of an effort to strengthen the focus of the United Nations on achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in general and the Cambodian MDG (CMDG) in particular, and as a preliminary step towards the preparation of the 2010 CMDG Report, the progress to date in achieving CMDG has been reviewed.

VSO Health in Cambodia especially supports Goal 4, 5 and 6.

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

In 2008, one baby out of 20 died before reaching his/her first birthday. While this number is high, it should be recognized that it has been reduced from almost one death per ten births in 1998. Similarly, under-five mortality, while high, has decreased from 124 to 83 deaths per 1,000 live births from 2000 to 2005. The progress on CMDG 4 has been attributed to the strong performance of the national immunization programme, successful exclusive breastfeeding promotion, improved access to basic health services, an overall reduction of poverty levels and improved access to education and better roads.

These efforts have made CMDG 4 the goal where most progress has been made, with many targets already reached or exceeded. However, while overall the situation of child mortality has improved substantially, there are still wide regional variations that need to be addressed. Infant and under-five mortality are still almost double the national average in Kampong Speu, Preah Vihear/Steung Treng, Prey Veng and Mondol Kiri/Rattanak Kiri provinces.
Last Updated ( Friday, 12 February 2010 )

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Maternal mortality is has remained consistently high over the last fifteen years, with no significant change since 1993. This is due to a number of factors, including the low proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (increased from 32 percent in 2000, but is still only at 58 percent), the very low rate of use of modern contraceptives (26 percent), the high level of iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women, the inaccessibility of Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (EmONC) to many women and newborns, limited access to safe abortion and low education levels among pregnant women.

Achieving Goal 5 would require a significant improvement in access to health care and family planning services, increasing the number of trained health personnel, conducting information campaigns and addressing the inadequate family practices and care-seeking behaviour during pregnancy and childbirth.
Last Updated ( Friday, 12 February 2010 )

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Cambodia has achieved internationally recognized success in combatting HIV/AIDS. The HIV prevalence rate in the adult population has continuously fallen from 1.9 percent in 1997 to 1.2 percent and 0.7 percent in 2003 and 2008 respectively, which is better than the 2015 target rate of <0.9. The reason is due to a focused and coordinated response from government and development partners, particularly increasing condom use rates among direct sex workers. However, there are now concerns about the resurgence of the epidemic among most at-risk groups (drug users, men who have sex with men and entertainment workers) and an increase of new HIV infections through spousal and mother-to-child transmission.

The major challenges now are to maintain and increase HIV education and prevention and to reduce the risk transmission among at-risk groups. Gender discrimination must also be addressed to cope with the increasing spousal HIV infections.

While progress has been made in the fight against dengue fever, Cambodia needs to work harder on reducing the malaria fatality rate and eliminating tolerant malaria parasites along the northern border area as well as the fatality rate from tuberculosis.
Last Updated ( Friday, 12 February 2010 )

I hope, this was interesting to you and you can see the context of me being here and the worlwide mission behind it.

Thank you for your attention.

Your Katja

"Eradicating extreme poverty continues to be one of the main challenges of our time, and is a major concern of the international community. Ending this scourge will require the combined efforts of all, governments, civil society organizations and the private sector, in the context of a stronger and more effective global partnership for development. The Millennium Development Goals set timebound targets, by which progress in reducing income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion — while promoting gender equality, health, education and environmental sustainability — can be measured. They also embody basic human rights — the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter and security. The Goals are ambitious but feasible and, together with the comprehensive United Nations development agenda, set the course for the world’s efforts to alleviate extreme poverty by 2015. "

United Nations Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon

written by

katja-horsch on May 18, 2010 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia

from the travel blog: why I am here

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Trips:

Shorthand link:

a volunteers life...

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16 months here

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia

moved and still alive!

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beautiful Kep

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

one reason, why I am here - the Millenium Develpment Goals

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I have been to Laos!

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Heading South?