On 03/19/2015, HACC and NAA had joined field trip to visit situation of people living with HIV and AIDS in Rokar commune, Sangker district, Battambang province. The purpose of this visit is to join community forum with people living with HIV and AIDS organized by Provincial Cambodia People Living with HIV and AIDS in Battambang province. H.E Dr. Tia Phalla, vice chair of NAA participated and joined opening this ceremony together with honorable guest representatives from Provincial AIDS and STI Office, chief of OD, monk, chief of health center, NGO, teachers and with around 120 people. Theme ( Reduce stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS in Rokar commune). 

After impression of PASP, chief of OD and H.E Dr. Ti Phalla, monks were asked to bless the ceremony. In addition, following questions and answers were also asked by villagers and responded by honorable guests. Key messages delivered by honorable guests included the cause of HIV and AIDS infections, the situation of people living with HIV and AIDS in Rokar commune, self-care, stigmatize and discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS and urgent need for providing support for those PLHIV. As discussed, found that people do not want to buy things sell by LPHIV, do not allow children playing with HIV and AIDS infected household’s children as well as not allow taking lunch or dinner with their members.

So far, we have seen number of delegations from Government, NGO and generous people from local and international. Donation mostly focus on food including rice, oil, fish canned, money, milk, blanket, sugar, instant noodles, soap, soybean, salt, drinking water, tea and toy. In addition, a two-story building for treatment and care of PLHIV is also being built and road from national road to village also being renovated by the Government. Moreover, NGO BFD is also station in the village waiting for counseling and providing social support to the people. Aside from those, hand dug well and pound is also considering for providing to be used by the villagers. Based on BFD data showed that until today there are 280 people including 40 children infected and among those there were 6 people died including one children. The cause of the death came from complicated illness of TB and old ages.    

Anyhow, there were also many problems still existed and needs help from outsider as well, those are old man do not wanted to access health care service because they see over 5 old men infected with HIV and AIDS have died because of this diseases, distress, loan, discrimination, no food and nutrition support, the affect of using medicine, ethic and behavior of health care providers, no capital and no job.   

By seeing all these problems, HACC in cooperation with CJCC and CEO Master Club initiated social response by doing fund raising for supporting to those PLHIV in Rokar commune. Charity event will be organized on coming April 4, 2015 at 2:00PM at CJCC meeting room. Number of guest speakers, honorable guest, NGOs and individual will invite to participate in this event. The purpose of the event is to initiate about NGO entrepreneurship as well as help doing fund raising for supporting to PLHIV in Rokar commune, Sangker district, Battambang province.  

Mr. Heng Koy, Deputy Director of Resource Mobilization and Program Management 

Tel: 012 426 307, email: pm@hacccambodia.org