A key vision of the Tabitha Foundation is to ensure better health and quality of life for Cambodian women, particularly the vulnerable and poor. Healthier and better educated women are are critical to ensuring healthy children, strong families and communities, and a stronger Cambodia.
When Tabitha Founder Janne Ritskes shared her dream of establishing a world class women's hospital in Cambodia with Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi, Cambodia's Minister for Women's Affairs, Nokor Tep Women's hospital came one step closer to becoming reality.
Nokor Tep Women's hospital will operate a program designed to improve the understanding of women's health issues and facilitate women's access to treatment that is not usually accessible or affordable for them. At present, services such as specialised oncology are simply not available for many Cambodian women, leaving them with no choice but to wait for death.
From its central facility in Phnom Penh, the hospital will offer outreach services nationwide through the development of screening centers, mobile clinics, preventive health care education and research facilities.
Our primary objective is to provide quality care and compassion for any woman who enters into the program. Payment for treatment will start from a single dollar for the poorest patients, to international rates for those who can afford it.
Beyond critical care, we believe Nokor Tep can contribute to the reduction of the mortality and morbidity rates of Cambodian women through education and prevention. By actively encouraging research into women's health issues in Cambodia we can develop a clear understanding of the health issues which face Cambodian women. The impact will spread further as Nokor Tep becomes a role model for Cambodia and other developing nations in the management of women's health.
Our vision is not cheap - Nokor Tep will cost $5.5 million to build and another $5.5 million to outfit, because the costly equipment required for women's oncology is part of the dream. It sounds impossible, but as Tabitha has proven before, it's not if the burden is shared by many. To build we only need 120 people to donate $50,000 each, or 240 people to donate $25,000 each. To outfit we need to do the same.
Read about Janne Ritske's personal journey to the genesis of the Nokor Tep project, or follow her Nokor Tep blog. For more information on the hospital project, contact hospitals@tabithasingapore.com or visit www.nokor-tep.net.
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