One Trained Doctor Saves 250 AIDS Patients Photo Gallery

Columbia University, New York City

Preparatory training workshop for prospective volunteers. Using interactive discussions and a faculty with extensive experience in developing countries, the volunteers are taught how to apply their resource-rich knowledge to a resource-poor setting.

Hoa Binh, Vietnam, Community Clinic

Training visit for community nurses. Community clinics are typically the first point of contact for the population with the healthcare system. The clinics are staffed by nurses. While HIV prevention messages are supposedly provided to the patients who enter the clinic, none of the posters we saw there mentioned anything about sexual transmission of HIV and the way to prevent that. When asked, the nurses seemed surprised.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (pilot program)

Quality control visit. During the pilot program ICEHA provided 2 teams of 1 HIV physician and 1 HIV nurse each to 2 provincial hospitals in Cambodia. The teams were in the field for 3 months, pro bono. Under their supervision, antiretroviral medication was introduced in the hospitals. Each volunteer has mentioned that it was the most extraordinary experience of their life

Bantey Mean Chey (BMC), CAmbodia (pilot program)

AIDS-TB ward! Upon arrival, the team discovered that AIDS patients and TB patients share one large room. Given the compromised immune system of AIDS patients and the high likelihood of co-infection, this is a disastrous scenario. The team managed to get a separate building allocated for the TB patients. Ventilation in the ward is created by open windows and fans; masks to protect the care givers are not available.

Banteay Mean Chey (BMC), Cambodia (pilot program)

Improving hand washing methods and making healthcare providers adopt the practice of washing hands between patients (instead of at the beginning and the end of ward rounds) is one of the first steps in infection control.

Banteay Mean Chey (BMC), Cambodia (pilot program)

This HIV-infected patient was cured of penicillosis, a common opportunistic infection amongst AIDS patients, yet one that can be treated easily. While common, the local physicians couldn’t make the diagnosis as they had only learned about the infection in text books. ICEHA’s volunteer physician showed them how to recognize and manage the infection

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam (pilot program)

Out-patient clinic now treats over 1000 patients in only 6 months – all without any advertising.

Lao Cai, Vietnam

Diagnostic ability of the physicians and lab technicians needs to be greatly enhanced. “Why is this patient taking a cocktail of anti-TB drugs if there is no sign or symptom that he has TB?”

Central Committee for Science and Education (CCSE)

Hanoi, Vietnam – Discussion on the scale-up of the program and the set up of a continuing education system. ICEHA only works at the invitation of a local government or NGO. This is vital in ensuring local commitment to the success of the program. Once invited, ICEHA collaborates with a local NGO and makes them the “face of the program” in the country. This greatly helps smooth the logistics and conveys the message of empowerment.

Thank you for coming!