Free Dermatology Consultations Bring Smiles to Ptea Clara Children's Home

On the morning of March 5, a team from the Mintha Care company visited the Ptea Clara reception center, "La Maison de Clara," to provide free dermatological consultations for the children cared for by this Cambodian NGO.

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Dermatologist Dr. Souleng Lim was thus able to examine nearly 70 children and prescribe numerous treatments to relieve their skin conditions.

It was in this colorful setting that the team was welcomed by a whirlwind of smiles and joyful "hellos!" In a room decorated with murals and all kinds of drawings created by local artists, Dr. Lim set up her office for the day and met the children. As good as gold, in the arms or on the laps of the nannies, the children played the role of model patients.

Ptea Clara, a colorful home welcoming nearly 150 children

The dermatologist moves from one examination to the next. Cambodian, of course, she facilitates communication in Khmer and establishes an atmosphere of trust. Skins are scrutinized carefully, lit up to detect the slightest anomaly, and hair examined under a magnifying glass. Everything is set up so that each child benefits from a meticulous and thorough consultation.

Indeed, Ptea Clara strives to offer regular health check-ups. Some conditions require daily care, which must therefore be prescribed frequently. Hence the 6th visit since last February, led by Mintha Care.

Consultations provided by dermatologist Dr. Souleng Lim

Conclusion of the examinations

Recurrent and benign cases follow one another: dry skin, acne, eczema... The dermatologist prescribes appropriate treatments. Sometimes, certain children suffer from more troublesome issues. Lice or scabies are not uncommon, providing Mintha Care with an opportunity to rethink its approaches. "Better to prevent than to cure," as the saying goes.

In the future, emphasis will therefore be placed particularly on prevention measures, through handouts explaining to the nannies how to contain contagions.

This visit also allowed for reflection on new projects with Sandra Rousseau, co-founder of Ptea Clara. One of Mintha Care's ambitions would be to expand its missions beyond dermatology. Among the avenues considered, gynecology could address growing needs among adolescents. Beyond examinations, the goal would also be to provide minimal sex education to the young.

Sandra Rousseau, co-founder of Ptea Clara, and Sarah Lubeigt, regional director of Mintha Care, in discussion

Health for all

For Mintha Care, Ptea Clara represents a vision: making health accessible to everyone, because everyone fundamentally has the right to it. The most deprived should be able to grow up in a safe environment where access to care is neither an economic dilemma nor a geographical constraint.

It is by multiplying missions like the one carried out at Ptea Clara that Mintha Care intends to contribute its part. At the end of January, for example, a team had gone to Chiro village, where the Cambodian NGO OBT and the French NGO SEAJA work together to build the future of the orphanage's children. There too, a dermatologist had examined about twenty young people, then prescribed care sent to the orphanage afterward.

A morning in Chiro village where about twenty children were able to be examined

Mintha Care plans to renew its visits, with, we hope, other health specialists. Whether at Ptea Clara or in Chiro village, the goal remains the same: to allow children to grow up safely.