Boeng Khting village, Tong Tralach commune, Srei Santhor district
EPI stands for Expanded Program on Immunization. It is conducted by health center staff every month. The target group consists of children under 1 year of age through for some immunizations up to 5 years old and women from 15-44 years old. EPI for children covers 6-target diseases (Polio, Measles, Diphtheria, Tuberculosis, Whooping Cough, Tetanus), while women are subject to only TT (Tetanus Toxoid) immunization. In Cambodia, some mothers still do not want to bring their children for EPI because of a lack of knowledge. They blindly look immunization with suspicion and are afraid too much of side-effects.
Besides monthly EPI session, there are some extra sessions. In case of Boeng Khting village, the extra EPI session was held since the village is located in a remote area, consequently it is difficult for health staff to cover the village during the monthly EPI session. Therefore, some sessions aim to reach people living a far remote area. On the other hands, some other extra sessions are organized when recipient rate of the monthly EPI is low.
In July 1999, an extra EPI session took place in Boeng Khting village. There are about 200 families, which is the largest in Tong Tralach commune. It takes about one hour by motorcycle from the district center. We can not reach there by car because the road is too narrow. When it is flooded during rainy season, boats become the only means of transportation.
The EPI took place in front of a villager's house by village health staff and staff from the hospital in the district center. Before starting the extra EPI session, health staff and the village chief went out to call mothers and children from their houses. While the staff were preparing for immunization, mothers gradually came with their children. A hospital staff registered names of mothers and children. Then another hospital staff gave immunization. Beside of the immunization, another team of hospital staff consulted villagers, who complained about their health, and distributed medicine. Medicine for fever, cough, typhoid fever, and ORS (Oral Dehydration Salt) for diarrhea was distributed. Besides these activities by government health staff, a SHARE staff conducted health education on ANC (antenatal care) by showing pictures (flipchart).
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Health center staff is preparing for EPI session. A staff is checking a needle and a syringe (right), while another staff is wrapping some medicine. |
| A mother holds her baby, while a hospital staff is giving BCG injection. The baby looks peaceful but became to cry vehemently after this moment. |  |
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While health staff are giving immunization to children and mothers, a staff from the hospital gives consultation, and another hospital staff provides medicine to villagers. |
| Besides EPI session, a health education session on ANC was conducted by a SHARE staff. There are about 10 mothers participated. They said that it was the first experience of health education, and they think health education gave them useful and important knowledge on their health. |  |