By Tan Kim Hion, Sia Ah Tong, Kong Siew Yen, Chan Shi Yih, and Chong Pei Fen
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos by Sam Pin Fook
A Tzu Chi free clinic provided much-needed relief in rural Cambodia, offering services ranging from cataract surgeries to dental treatments.
A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner checks a patient’s pulse during the November 2024 free clinic.
Every day for a week leading up to the Tzu Chi free clinic, tuk-tuk driver Sak Kosal navigated the streets of Bavel District, Battambang Province, Cambodia, to promote the event. He eagerly announced through his loudspeaker, “From November 1 to 3, there will be a free clinic offering ophthalmology, dentistry, and more!” His tuk-tuk was adorned with a banner advertising the clinic, and he distributed flyers along his route. He also personally informed his friends and neighbors about the event and planned to seek treatment himself. “We are too poor. Seeing a doctor is very expensive, and we can’t afford it,” he shared.
Meanwhile, a flower vendor shared her difficulties with Tzu Chi volunteers. She had been suffering from rapid heartbeats and difficulty breathing but had avoided seeking medical care. “My child was born with a heart condition and needs frequent hospital visits,” she explained. “I have no money left for my own treatment. At last, free care is here!”
People wait for their turn to see a doctor.
Serving a great need
Cambodia, ravaged by years of conflict and prone to natural disasters, is a key focus for the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO is collaborating with the Cambodian government, international partners, and NGOs to address the nation’s health challenges.
Limited medical resources and prohibitive costs often prevent residents in remote areas from accessing medical care. To help alleviate this issue, Tzu Chi organized a free clinic in early November 2024 in Battambang Province. Medical professionals and support volunteers from Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia brought equipment and medications, joining local healthcare workers and volunteers to provide services in internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, ophthalmology, dentistry, and traditional Chinese medicine. The clinic recorded nearly 3,500 patient visits over the course of three days.
The clinic operated at two locations: Bavel Referral Hospital served as the main site, while ophthalmology treatments were conducted at Battambang Provincial Hospital. Sixty-four-year-old Nhem Phoeuk, the chief of a village near Bavel District, traveled to the ophthalmology site for surgery aboard a bus rented by Tzu Chi. A year earlier, he had undergone cataract surgery on his right eye at a private hospital but couldn’t afford treatment for his left eye. The free clinic finally made the long-awaited procedure possible. “I felt comfortable lying on the operating table,” he said with relief. “It was over in no time—so quick!”
Another patient, Pen Voeurn, felt fortunate and deeply grateful for Tzu Chi’s assistance. “I couldn’t see the road [due to my eye condition],” she said. “I was so worried about falling, getting injured, and becoming a burden to my family. But after my cataract surgery at the free clinic, the doctor reassured me that my vision would gradually improve.” Stroking a volunteer’s face, she happily added, “Now I can see the outline of your face—you’re so handsome!”
Dr. Heng Ton, an ophthalmologist at Battambang Provincial Hospital with 20 years of experience, shared insights into Cambodia’s healthcare challenges with Tzu Chi volunteers. He explained that most medical graduates prefer to work in larger cities like Phnom Penh, where salaries are higher, leaving hospitals in less developed areas understaffed. Even government-run hospitals in these areas often charge fees that are unaffordable for many citizens.
As a result, low-income individuals often rely on support from non-profit organizations for medical treatment or hope to raise funds through community efforts. Dr. Heng expressed his willingness to care for impoverished patients but admitted that his efforts alone were not enough. He commended Tzu Chi’s free medical services as a much-needed blessing for many locals. At the same time, he noted the government’s recent efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and reduce medical costs, expressing hope that more people will soon be able to access care at government hospitals.
Seizing the opportunity
The parking lot of Bavel Referral Hospital was transformed into a bustling dental clinic during the free clinic event. Dentists, wearing transparent face shields, worked tirelessly to perform tooth extractions, cleanings, and fillings. Their assistants stood nearby, wiping sweat from the doctors’ brows and efficiently passing instruments, ensuring each patient received attentive care.
The waiting area was crowded with people seeking care, from young mothers cradling their children to elderly individuals in wheelchairs. The scent of sweat mingled with a light breeze as sunlight filtered through gaps in the canopy, illuminating faces filled by a mix of hope and anxiety. For many, this was a rare and precious opportunity to see a dentist—an opportunity they couldn’t afford to miss.
Dental clinics are scarce in Cambodia’s rural areas, often requiring villagers to travel long distances for treatment that can be prohibitively expensive. A tooth extraction, for example, can cost as much as 30 U.S. dollars. Faced with these obstacles, many endure dental pain or resort to traditional remedies for relief, such as chewing medicinal plants or rinsing with saltwater. Unfortunately, these methods rarely resolve the underlying issue and can sometimes lead to infections.
Over three days, 741 patients received dental treatment at the clinic. Dr. Li Yi-bang (李彝邦), a dentist from Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital in eastern Taiwan, observed that many villagers only sought treatment when the pain became unbearable. “Cleaning their teeth is like mining,” he remarked, referring to the thick tartar deposits he removed. Dr. Eugene Tang (鄧國榮), a dentist with 43 years of experience in Singapore, noted that in earlier years of Tzu Chi’s free clinics in Cambodia, many patients came seeking pain relief, often opting for extractions. However, Tzu Chi dentists have always prioritized saving teeth whenever possible, even providing root canal treatments—procedures that are otherwise unaffordable for many locals.
One patient, 22-year-old Keo Muysan, had suffered for a decade from severe tooth pain whenever she ate. Her local dentist could only prescribe painkillers, which cost 25 U.S. dollars for a five-day supply. Her parents, vegetable farmers with limited income, even sold a small plot of their land to afford her medication.
The dental team at the free clinic arranged for Keo’s teeth to be examined via X-rays. The X-rays revealed that several of her teeth were beyond saving. Her dentist gently explained that they would extract one tooth that day and address the rest the next day. Keo tightly gripped her mother’s rough, calloused hand as she braced herself for the procedure. Her mother’s face showed both worry and relief, hopeful that her daughter’s suffering would finally end.
When the decayed tooth was removed, the tension in Keo’s face softened. Her mother, overcome with emotion, said, “Thank you all. What you took away wasn’t just a bad tooth; it was ten years of suffering for my daughter.”
Medical professionals perform an oral X-ray examination on a patient prior to dental treatment. Leong Chian Yee
Separating a nine-year-old’s fingers
The day before the free clinic, a medical team visited the home of nine-year-old Horm Tola, who was scheduled for surgery during the event. When Horm saw the strangers, he hid his hands behind his back and watched them with wary eyes. His mother, Chiw Sok Phana, quickly explained that Horm had been born with syndactyly, a congenital condition in which fingers are fused. On his right hand, the middle and ring fingers were joined, as were the thumb and index finger; on his left hand, the index and middle fingers were fused. This condition had made him especially sensitive and self-conscious.
Horm had undergone surgery at age three to separate his right thumb and index finger, but his doctor had deemed further treatment too risky. Since then, he had been unable to use his right hand for tasks requiring strength and relied solely on his left hand for eating and writing. The emotional toll was even greater—his classmates often ridiculed his fused fingers, calling them strange. With her husband supporting the family of six through farming, Chiw Sok Phana couldn’t afford treatment at a large hospital in Phnom Penh, leaving Horm to endure his condition along with the impact to his self-esteem.
In early October 2024, Horm’s father heard at the market that Tzu Chi would be holding a free clinic, with doctors conducting initial screenings on the 13th. “We immediately brought our son in,” Chiw Sok Phana said, “and he was approved for surgery on November 1. Knowing foreign doctors would handle the procedure gave us so much confidence.” The news that her boy would finally receive treatment moved her to tears.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Fong Poh Him (馮寶興), a plastic surgeon from Singapore with over a decade of experience at free clinics. After reviewing Horm’s medical records, Dr. Fong explained to his mother, through a translator, that separating the fused fingers on Horm’s right hand would be extremely difficult because of shared bone structures. However, since the condition didn’t pose a risk to his overall health, he reassured her not to worry. Instead, they would focus on his left hand, ensuring that it would have five fully separated and functional fingers.
As the surgery was set to begin, Horm lay on the operating table, crying in fear. Volunteers and a nurse quickly stepped in to comfort him. During the procedure, the nurse gently turned his face away from the surgical area, while his mother blocked his view with her hand. At the same time, a volunteer played cartoons on a phone to help distract him.
Two hours later, Horm emerged from the operating room. He told his mother that it hadn’t hurt at all. She assured him that when the bandages came off the following week, he’d have a left hand with five separate fingers.
Dr. Fong was deeply moved when Horm shyly thanked him. “The surgical facilities at the free clinic are very basic,” he said. “Cases like this require experienced surgeons to ensure everything goes smoothly. If I hadn’t performed this surgery, the child might have lived his entire life burdened by the limitations of his condition.”
The backbone of the free clinic
Preparation for the large-scale free clinic began in April, when Tzu Chi Cambodia expanded its recruitment of local volunteers. They also invited an experienced team from Singapore to provide training. On October 30, two days before the event, an advance team from Malaysia and Singapore arrived at Bavel Referral Hospital to begin setup. The Taiwanese team, led by Dr. Chien Jui-teng (簡瑞騰), superintendent of Douliou Tzu Chi Hospital, departed from Taiwan on October 31—just before flights were canceled due to Typhoon Kong-rey.
Volunteers used farm tractors to transport desks and chairs borrowed from a school to prepare the venue. Dr. Soo Jia Ying (史家盈), a Malaysian surgeon, played a pivotal role in setting up the operating room, carefully arranging equipment and even washing slippers for use inside. As she worked, she considered how to thoughtfully communicate with patients too fearful to undergo surgery and how best to reassure them.
The dental clinic was built almost entirely from scratch. Volunteers installed water and electrical systems to meet various needs, including enabling a large compressor to supply the air pressure required for dental equipment. They also created a functional drainage system and set up tents, fans, and lights.
Lin Jin-an (林金安), a seasoned volunteer from Tainan, Taiwan, had arrived in Cambodia earlier than the team led by Superintendent Chien. He joined his Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts in setting up the dental clinic. A skilled equipment repair specialist with over 20 years of experience supporting free clinics in Taiwan and abroad, he recognizes the importance of every piece of medical equipment in ensuring proper patient care. He meticulously prepared a range of spare parts, from simple switches to more complex components, to keep the dental instruments and equipment running smoothly at the free clinic. Even though it meant carrying over 30 kilograms (66 pounds) of luggage from Taiwan, he was determined that no machine would stop working due to a lack of parts.
The day before the clinic, six dental treatment devices required testing and adjustments. One machine was so severely damaged that it required two hours of work to repair. Despite the challenges, Lin’s face reflected focus and determination. His skilled movements demonstrated years of accumulated experience, allowing him to diagnose the needs of each machine almost instinctively.
Lin had battled cancer, which had forced him to leave his job and completely let go of his career. However, those hard experiences led him to rediscover the value of life through volunteering. He has since devoted himself to maintaining equipment for Tzu Chi’s free clinics, becoming a reliable support for the medical team. “It fills my heart with joy to finish my work and see the machines functioning properly,” he said.
Lee Mong Kee (李夢奇), a volunteer from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, reflected on the scale of the dental clinic, which involved 19 dentists and exposed him to different work styles across teams from various countries. He also learned to use new equipment, such as sterilizers. But more than all that, helping local patients relieve their dental pain provided the greatest reward.
Three surgeries are performed simultaneously in a temporary operating room. Leong Chian Yee
Preparing ophthalmic equipment
In tropical regions, prolonged exposure to sunlight and intense UV radiation often leads to lens clouding. Coupled with high-sugar diets that accelerate lens oxidation, this significantly increases the need for cataract surgery as people age. Dr. Chan Boon Huat (曾文發), a member of the Tzu Chi Kuala Lumpur and Selangor chapter’s medical coordination team, explained that cataracts are the leading cause of blurred vision and blindness in Cambodia.
Providing ophthalmology services at the free clinic required various medical equipment, including phacoemulsification machines, surgical microscopes, slit lamp microscopes, and autoclaves. Dr. Chan acknowledged, “The ophthalmology team is fully staffed, but our biggest challenge is the lack of medical equipment.”
To address this issue, the team explored every possible avenue, leveraging personal networks to secure the necessary tools. Dr. Goh Siew Yuen (吳秀雲), a pediatric ophthalmologist from Hospital Tunku Azizah in Kuala Lumpur, went above and beyond, even contacting hospitals where she had no prior connections. Her efforts paid off when two institutions each agreed to lend a phacoemulsification machine. In addition to working to secure equipment for the free clinic, she and Dr. Chan brought screening devices to Cambodia as early as October 13 to conduct preoperative evaluations.
While coordinating logistics with Dr. Heng Ton of Battambang Provincial Hospital, the team discovered that the hospital’s autoclave required about 90 minutes to sterilize instruments after surgery. This posed a significant challenge for the time-sensitive clinic, as it would limit the number of patients that could be treated.
Volunteer Chong Li Lei (張綠蕾) acted swiftly, reaching out to a network of industrialists through a group chat. Remarkably, within five minutes, an autoclave capable of sterilizing instruments in just 15 to 20 minutes was donated, much to the team’s delight. Unfortunately, just before the machine was scheduled to be shipped by airplane in late October, it was rejected due to its weight. The team scrambled for alternatives. Finally, with the assistance of Optimax Eye Specialist, Eyetech Cambodia stepped in to lend a suitable autoclave, resolving the issue.
The ophthalmology team successfully performed 21 surgeries on the first day of the free clinic. Dr. Goh expressed gratitude for the team’s collaboration, saying, “Every surgery we complete allows a patient to regain their ability to lead a normal life and care for their family. This brings me immense satisfaction.”
This marked the Tzu Chi Kuala Lumpur and Selangor chapter’s first ophthalmic medical mission, an experience that deeply inspired the team. Dr. Chan shared that they are prepared to provide long-term support and plan to participate in future international free clinics and outreach missions in Malaysia’s rural areas.
A patient thanks a medical worker after surgery. Leong Chian Yee
Volunteers check each dental chair in preparation for the free clinic(Photo 1). Zeng Qiu Li
Support volunteers play a vital role in the success of a free clinic. Here, a group of interpreters pose for a photo. Their assistance was crucial in bridging the language gap between many of the doctors at the November free clinic and the locals seeking treatment(Photo 2). Kong Siew Yen
Leaving with smiles
In 1994, when Cambodia was devastated by floods and droughts, Louth Saly, the current chief of Bavel District, received rice from Tzu Chi. In 2020, following another flood, he accompanied Tzu Chi volunteers late into the night to survey disaster-stricken areas. Prior to the free clinic this time, he visited the ophthalmology screening to show his support and took the opportunity to have his own eyes examined. The medical team assured him they would provide him with a suitable pair of reading glasses. When he tried them on later, he was delighted to see the text on his documents clearly. He expressed his gratitude to Tzu Chi and the local Samdech Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Association for their collaboration in bringing free healthcare to residents of nine villages in Bavel District.
Battambang Deputy Governor Peng Piseth also received unexpected treatment during a visit to the free clinic. He had come to inspect its operations and convey the governor’s thanks when he mentioned that his lower leg, injured 40 years earlier, still caused occasional pain. Dr. Fong Poh Him, assisted by Dr. Chien Jui-teng, performed a 40-minute surgery that resolved the long-standing issue. Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Chien remarked, “If even the deputy governor has such needs, the needs of the general public must be even greater.”
Over 600 people were treated on the first day of the free clinic. As word of the services spread, the number of patients increased significantly on the second day. On the third day, the clinic was scheduled to close at 3 p.m. but the medical team extended their hours to help as many people as possible. Seeing patients leave with relieved smiles warmed the hearts of all the volunteers.
