Diseases and accidents

There is a generally dense and good network of rural clinics in Vietnam, and preventive services are better than average. But hygiene is still a major problem. Besides, for the poor, in case of disease or accident, the whole family may plunge into deep poverty.

In Cambodia curative and preventive services are much worse.

In case of sickness, the diagnosis is often fanciful at best, leading to useless and expensive treatments, often more dangerous than the disease itself. Then, people visit a hospital in town to find a better care but this is extremely expensive for the poor. One signle trip to the nearest big town may cost the equivalent of one month family income. And the innocent villagers are subject to touts right upon arrival at the bus station.

Medical expenses are often so high, that the villagers are forced to sell valuable assets at a cheap price: land, sometimes even their house, cattle... They cannot work for weeks which is even worse. There is no other insurance that solidarity and support from the neighbors.

In Vietnm poverty has receded a lot in 20 years but about one third of the population lives just above the poverty line. Then an accident can make the family plunge into deep poverty. Like Toan's family: no compensation from the culprit nor from the government...