Tzu Chi’s medical volunteers from Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines joined Cambodian teams to provide free medical care to thousands in need over a three-day clinic.
In late spring, I traveled with a Tzu Chi team from Taiwan to Cambodia to report on a free clinic for Tzu Chi Monthly. Our 90-minute drive south from Phnom Penh International Airport to Takeo Province offered a vivid glimpse of Cambodia’s blend of old and new. Tuk-tuks, motor scooters, and Japanese-imported cars shared the roads, while the route was lined with garment and shoe factories, snack stalls and carts, traditional stilt houses, and Buddhist temples. This mix of modern and traditional scenes reflected the country’s closely intertwined urban and rural life.
Our destination was Prey Kabbas Referral Hospital, where Tzu Chi held a large-scale free clinic in partnership with the Samdech Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Association (TYDA). This event, one of the free clinics regularly conducted by the two organizations, offered services in five specialties: ophthalmology, dentistry, surgery, internal medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine. Over three days, from May 30 to June 1, the clinic recorded nearly 3,700 patient visits.
The clinic began at 10 a.m. on the first day. By the time the Taiwan team and I arrived around noon, a sizable crowd had gathered outside the hospital, waiting to register. Tzu Chi volunteers and local youth helped patients fill out basic information forms and sign up for the appropriate departments based on their medical needs. Though the young volunteers still carried a sense of innocence, their focus and sense of responsibility stood out.
Tzu Chi’s Singapore team had visited the site a month prior to the clinic to conduct a field survey. Then, two days before the event, they joined Cambodian volunteers to begin setting up the venue in preparation for the arrival of teams from Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
The surgery and ophthalmology departments were located in the same building. It was there that I saw Chhom Sophea undergoing surgery. His broad frame made the operating table seem small. Dr. Chien Sou-hsin (簡守信), superintendent of Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital in central Taiwan, performed the procedure, removing tumors from his back and arm.
After the operation, I found Chhom waiting to receive medication and attend a health education session. I was able to interview him with the help of a college student volunteering on-site, who translated Chhom’s Khmer into English. He told me he had been living with the tumors for six years, and that whenever he lay down, the pressure on them caused him discomfort.
Although speaking to a reporter, Chhom answered my questions without hesitation, his eyes gentle and at ease. In fact, I encountered this same openness and calm sincerity throughout the rest of my interviews with local residents, who all shared their experiences freely.
Dr. Chien later explained that in Taiwan, doctors would typically monitor benign tumors like Chhom’s through follow-up visits, and only proceed with surgery if needed. “But since this is a free clinic in Cambodia,” he said, “monitoring a tumor is often difficult for patients. Thus, we opt to remove them immediately, giving them peace of mind.”
The surgery removed not only the tumors, but also a burden of anxiety that had weighed on the patient’s heart for years.
Caring for vision
When I visited the ophthalmology department on the second day of the free clinic, the waiting area was full of patients. Most had undergone preoperative screenings earlier that month, on May 3 or 4. Each patient wore a label affixed to their forehead above the affected eye, marked with either a “C” for cataract or a “P” for pterygium. For those scheduled for cataract surgery, the label also displayed a number that matched the serial code on their intraocular lens box, helping to ensure the correct lens was used during the procedure.
Nearby, over a dozen patients were having their pupils dilated with eye drops, which would take at least 15 minutes to take effect.
One woman stood out to me: Kart Eng, dressed in a blue shirt, her eyes tinged with sorrow. Through an interpreter, I learned she was 69 years old and had experienced blurred vision for some time. About two months before the clinic, she also began noticing a dark shadow in her right eye.
She soon changed into a surgical gown and cap and waited quietly for her turn. Before the operation, her surgeon administered local anesthesia. Then, under a surgical microscope, the surgeon used an ultrasonic probe to break up and suction out her clouded natural lens. Each cataract surgery typically took between ten and 30 minutes to complete.
Dr. Antonio Say (史美勝), who led the ophthalmology team from the Philippines, pointed out that all the surgeons on this mission were highly experienced. They worked with care and precision, and were determined to ensure that every registered patient received the treatment they needed. Four operating tables were in constant use, with patients rotating in and out in a steady rhythm. Rapid sterilization equipment allowed for quick turnover between procedures. In this manner, the ophthalmology team completed 108 surgeries for cataract and pterygium in just two days.
After her surgery, Kart slowly sat up, her expression dazed, as though she hadn’t quite regained her bearings. As soon as she saw us, she brought her palms together in a gesture of gratitude. Her well-meaning gesture, bringing her hands close to her face so soon after eye surgery, carried a risk of infection. The surgeon, clearly concerned, quickly cautioned us to ensure she didn’t touch the surgical site.
Postoperative patients were then guided to a recovery area, where they rested briefly, received anti-inflammatory eye drops, and listened to instructions for post-surgical care. Kart said her vision was still a bit blurry and that she felt a mild stinging sensation in her eye.
The average monthly income is relatively low in Cambodia. A single cataract operation can cost between 200 and 500 U.S. dollars, depending on the type of intraocular lens and surgical method used. When factoring in travel, hospital stays, and medication, the overall expense can be a heavy burden—especially for retirees like Kart Eng. Thus, free eye surgery represents a significant opportunity for many people in the country.
