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Cambodia: Trust Me I鈥檓 Not a Doctor

A recent health scandal in Cambodia prompted the government to clamp down on unlicensed doctors. Yet these 'doctors' are often the preferred option for many in the countryside.

The Cambodian government has recently announced a clampdown on unlicensed doctors. This comes after a mass infection of HIV in a rural village, blamed on an unlicensed doctor reusing syringes. The 'doctor', recently convicted of homicide and the deliberate spread of HIV/Aids, has just begun a 25 year prison sentence.

For millions of people, self-taught, unlicensed doctors are often their cheapest - and only option if they fall ill. Cambodia has one of the world鈥檚 lowest numbers of doctors per head of population, on a par with Afghanistan. John Murphy travels outside the capital Phnom Penh to see whether the government clampdown is having an effect. He finds evidence that self-taught doctors are still operating in villages, without hindrance and with plenty of local support.

(Photo: Mr Chin, a local doctor and his wife on his motorcycle to visit patients in their homes)

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23 minutes

Last on

Mon 21 Dec 2015 06:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 17 Dec 2015 00:32GMT
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  • Thu 17 Dec 2015 05:32GMT
  • Thu 17 Dec 2015 07:32GMT
  • Thu 17 Dec 2015 18:32GMT
  • Thu 17 Dec 2015 19:32GMT
  • Mon 21 Dec 2015 02:06GMT
  • Mon 21 Dec 2015 06:06GMT

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