According to UNICEF, in Cambodia, 6.3 million people do not have access to safe drinking water and up to 75 per cent of the rural population lacks access to adequate sanitation. Sixty-six per cent of the people living in rural areas practise open defecation. Fifty children under-five die every day mainly because of preventable and treatable diseases, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. The remoteness of the villages and poor conditions of the roads means access to primary healthcare and clinics remains a major challenge. In order to address these challenges in Kratie province, 340km north-east of the capital Phnom Penh, the Cambodian Red Cross Society adopted a harmonized approach to community health. Using simple tools, adapted to the local context, the Cambodian Red Cross Society has empowered its volunteers and communities with the knowledge and skills to identify and reduce health risks.
