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Request for help from the Mae Tao C



Request for help from the Mae Tao Clinic (Dr. Cynthia's) in Mae Sot, 
Thailand

This holiday season, please consider making a donation to assist Burmese
refugees in Thailand.

Even $2.00 - $5.00 will help as you can see from what some of the items they 
need cost.  Checks can be sent to the following account, designated for the 
Mae Tao Clinic:

Father Manat Supalak
Krung Thai Bank Ltd
Mae Sot
604-1-22304-2

Those wanting to make a tax-exempt contribution can send checks to the 
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Attn:  Shalini Nataraj, 130 
Prospect St., Cambridge, MA 02139, again designating it for the Mae Tao 
Clinic, Burma program.

For further information, contact Shalini Nataraj directly at:
snataraj@xxxxxxxx
__________________________________________________________________

The Mae Tao clinic was established by Dr. Cynthia Maung in 1989 due to the
large refugee population which arrived in 1988-9 and a result of military
hostilities in Burma. The clinic originally saw about 2000 people in the
first year of its operation . It is expected that by the end of 1997 we will 
have treated approximately 20,000 people many of whom are migrant workers.
The clinic has an out-patient facility, in-patient facility, ANC , family
planning 
services, immunization clinic, and a newly commenced nutrition project.

The clinic trains approximately 50 new junior medics per year who then go to 
work both in Burma and along the Thai Burma border . As well there is
ongoing senior
medic training. The clinic increasingly acts as a resource centre for the
medics along the Thai Burma border.

There is also a newly established sewing training to provide displaced
Burmese people with skills to become self sufficient.

With the increasing hostilities in Burma we are seeing many people arriving
at the clinic in a destitute state. They are sick, weary, malnourished and
carry only meagre belongings. When we have, we give, but this seems to be a
never ending and escalating need.

SHOES   Both patients and nonpatients come to the clinic without any form of
footwear. This area is endemic for hookworm which enters the body via the
feet and causes anaemia. We are also seeing a large number of foot injuries
which are completely preventable by the wearing of shoes. It is not uncommon
for our patients to walk for hours to get to us to save money . We often
find they are too poor for shoes.  25B ($0.75) for children 45B ($1.25) for 
adults

CLOTHES  There are many people who are recently displaced or who are
extremely poor who have only the clothes they are wearing. It is essential
for hygiene that the clothes should be washed and left in the sunlight. Many
women who deliver require multiple sarongs as they become easily soiled. We
are seeing more and more new refugees who have fled from a burning village,
forced relocation, or some other atrocity and will come to the clinic in
great need of clothes . Sarong 70B ($1.95) Shirt 50B ($1.40) Under wear 80B 
($2.25) Trousers 60B ($1.70) -shirt 100B ($2.80) childrens clothes we will
make in the clinic as part of the sewing project. One kilo of cotton is
200B ($5.60) and we can make many little items. Warmer clothing as is
needed now is more expensive. Our request for clothes is primarily for the
children and the pregnant women.

BABY PACKAGES  These consist of a sarong, shirts for the mother , 10
nappies , soap and five changes of clothing for the baby. The packages
are needed for babies who are born to families that are new refugees or are
extremely poor . We are seeing mothers who have walked for more than 4 hours
to the clinic to deliver their babies. One mother of twins arrived barefoot
in 42 degree Celsius . She was 39kg. Her husband had left her and life for
her was desperate.. We gave her these packages and saw her weekly. The babies
were doing well when we last saw them .         450B  ($12.50)

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS-40    The clinic and the houses where the medics live are
made of wood which is highly flammable . There are many patients who smoke
in the clinic and the medics cook inside these facilities. Their are 160
people housed in these buildings. We need to ensure that they have access to
a fire extinguisher in the event of such an emergency.

SOAP, TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE   Many people are arriving from Burma without 
any basic essentials. They have no job and in the current economic climate
this is getting harder and harder to find.  It has become apparent that the
people do not have the basic supplies required for everyday hygiene. It is
well known that frequent handwashing can reduce considerably the infections
people acquire especially children. We would also give these to the people
in the camp who are very poor .         Soap 4B/ Toothbrush 9B Toothpaste 5B 
(Total $0.50)

MATS, MOSQUITO NETS, BLANKETS   A family of four or five usually sleeps on
one mat with two blankets and one large mosquito net overhead. it is
essenial for everyone living here to own a mosquito net and use it
appropriately. Malaria is endemic here and  highly resistant to many drugs. 

It is becoming increasingly difficult to treat people with malaria and we are
seeing a large number coming from Burma who are very sick. They are
requiring blood transfusions and extra feeding due to the malnutrition. We
are seeing people who are being carried for days to get to the clinic. They
have come from as far as 500kms away.The cold season has arrived here and
the temperature is very low at night. The children need more blankets so
that they do not use there energy trying to keep warm as they tend to then
lose weight.   Mats 100B ($2,80) Large mosquito net 200Baht ($5.60) blanket
80B ($2.25) for a single.

The Mae Tao Clinic would like to thank you for your kindness and
consideration and we wish you a very Happy and Holy Christmas.
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