Mae Tao Clinic - First Impression

Wow would be an understatement!

Landmine Victim sleeping in the surgery. Mae Tao needs help to help

Before coming to Mae Sot to write about the goings on in these border communities, I had the opportunity to meet Dr Cynthia Maung, the founder and director of the Mae Tao Clinic, and her right hand woman, Khun Eh Thwa.  They gave me their 2011 annual report to read.  Two impressions from the report:  1. It is very professional, really well done.  I was grateful to read it as background information before the trip.  2.  They need financial help.  The shortfalls are effecting the service they can provide.  Annual reports do not shake me up.  My visit did shake me and shake me hard; that's a good thing. Never again do I want to say "I should have".

This beutiful child was just being a child in the middle of it all.  

This morning I met with Eh Thwa and was given a tour of the facility.  Wow!   The report didn’t say anything about these people rocking my standing, kicking the chair out from under me and pile driving me into action!  But that’s what happened.

Donations are way down at Mae Tao Clinic, and if I understand it correctly, the reason is because many of the large donors are under the impression that the refugees and migrant workers are returning to their home country, Burma.  Not so much, gentle reader.  The fact is that the Mae Tao Clinic is serving something like between 300 and 500 people a day.   These people come in two categories:

• 50% of them are migrant workers from Burma who are living and working in Thailand.
• 50% are people who make a day trip from Burma to obtain medical services at the clinic.  In Burma they would have to pay for the service, and most of them simply do not have the money.

There are rumors that the clinic will move from Mae Sot across the border into Burma.  This is not true.  The clinic does  provide support to the Pa Hite clinic.  That will continue, but the Mae Tao clinic will remain where it is.   The clinic has three main areas of activity.  Tonight we get a just a peek at the first one, health services.  Providing medical training and child protection will be discussed later.

I’m so glad I went on a Monday.  It’s both registration day and inoculation day.  The place was teaming with people.  I received a quick tour and many more statistics than I’m going to share with you tonight.  Having said that: 300-400 people will be on any Monday, Wednesday or Friday.

The registration que

There are between 3 and 10 live births at the clinic every day!  Some days there are as many as 15. If I get time I’ll try to get a report by date. Will I find a spike during the full moon?  I’d bet on it.

Reminded me of the first time i saw my grandson

Over the past 11 years they have fitted more than 260 people with prosthetics.  80% of them are landmine victims.  

Way too many lost limbs, most from land mines.
Landmines Suck
 

They have dental, optical, pediatric and mental health services.  They even have an acupuncture center.

Stroke Victim receiving acupuncture. They are seeing progress in his recovery.

If you or someone you know donates to any of the great causes related to the please keep the donations coming.  These people need your help and the refugees and migrant workers are not returning to their homes in Burma. More will be coming as I have time to research.  Today, I just have to tell you that the Mae Tao Clinic will rock your world if you come and spend a bit of time with the people there!