The Doctor Beat Support Group was formed to tell the story of a revolution in 3rd world paediatric health care and has produced the provocative documentary “Dr Beat and The Passive Genocide of Children” directed by Janine Hosking.

Dengue Fever Emergency Relief Fund. September 2007

Dengue Fever is transmitted by a small mosquito that is active during the day, and is common in Cambodia and adjoining countries. Spraying of the chemical Abate neutralises the breeding grounds. Allocation and distribution of Abate has always been plagued by ineptitude and corruption. Already there were reported dengue cases last dry season (late 2006), which should have been a trigger for early distribution of Abate this year. On top of this the rains came early in 2007. The consequence is an unprecedented epidemic, far worse than the disaster in 1998.

As of September 2007, the Kantha Bopha hospitals are continuing to receive hundreds of new dengue cases each day. On average 600 blood samples are analysed. Over 20,000 severe cases have been hospitalised this year. About 1% of these kids have died, mostly those who had previously been treated elsewhere with the wrong drugs. Many of the severely sick have internal bleeding and require plasma. Collection and screening of blood is expensive. Dr Beat Richner has estimated that, by the end of the year, Kantha Bopha will have spent more than US $7m handling this epidemic. He has no idea how to replace these funds, but refuses to turn kids away.

In the west, any disease that poses any sort of threat to our own (SARS, Avian Flu, Equine Flu etc) triggers massive allocation of resources. Yet there is little interest in an outbreak of a mosquito borne disease in Cambodia that is killing hundreds of kids, and that would have killed thousands were it not for the intervention of the Kantha Bopha hospitals.

The Dr Beat Support Group will raise as much funding as it can to assist the Kantha Bopha Hospitals in their response to the Dengue Fever Emergency between now and the beginning of the next rainy season (May 2008), up to a maximum of $3m AUD.

100% of funds collected will go directly to Kantha Bopha. Australian donations for eligible development activities are tax deductible. Funds will be used to:

  • Provide Cash Flow for the ongoing crisis.
  • Offset debt already created by the crisis.
  • Continued Advocacy for proper prevention.

To make a donation please contact the O’Neill Foundation. www.oneillfoundation.com.au

For more information please contact:

or visit the Kantha Bopha website on www.beatocello.com