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Nurse Treasures Memories of UNTAC Days Adventures
Australian Nurse Practitioner Susan Smith has come a long way
from the hectic days of July and August 1992, when she administered
vaccinations on the grounds of the UN Field Hospital out by
Pochentong Airport, to be close to treatment facilities in case one
of her patients had a bad reaction.
She has great memories of helicopter rides to the provinces to
administer vaccinations, clutching her “eskie” insulated
carrier. She recalls those days as romantic and exciting and
cherishes memories of the famous Australian Embassy “happy hour”
parties.
It’s all changed now.
Smith’s Access Medical Services clinic is staffed by a Russian
physician, Dr Lioudmila Karpenko, a specialist in pediatrics,
antenatal and postnatal medicine and in general practice.
Smith is still wielding her trusty syringe to administer vaccines
but more than providing protection from Japanese encephalitis and
malaria to young workers heading for the remote areas, she finds
herself giving routine shots to members of young families.
“In the last few years, Cambodia has become a much safer
environment for foreigners to bring their families and our patient
list reflects that,” said Smith.
Access still recommends that pregnant foreigners go out of the
country for births because, Smith says, facilities for treating the
mothers are satisfactory here but there could be problems in
locating adequate treatment for a newborn in crisis.
However, well-baby checkups, postnatal care and all the assorted
treatments required by a growing family can be satisfactorily
handled right here, Smith stresses.
Access offers primary care from a shady garden-level clinic just off
Monivong Boulevard, at 4 Street 432. Smith explains that the
operation is not set up to deal with emergencies, but the city has a
good selection of specialists and well-equipped facilities to which
her patients can be referred.
“When I first got here,” she marvels, “the nearest dentist
people would go to was in Bangkok.”
—Elizabeth Wright
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