College student volunteers promoting the importance of nutrition at the venue

As a part of Nutrition and Diet management Project (NDMP), FIDR has supported the establishment of a diet management system at the National Pediatric Hospital (NPH) since 2006and the implementation of a nutrition management system since 2014. This project was completed in March 2019.
Today, we introduce an episode related to “Nutrition Campaign,” which was held as a closing event of NDMP on January 18th, 2019. It was the first event that the Department of Nutrition (DN) at NPH independently planned and implemented.

Last year, we received a request from DN staffs, “we would like to conduct a campaign for patients’ family in order to raise their awareness of nutrition and advisory service at NPH.” We agreed with the idea and decided to support the campaign as a closing event of NDMP.
After that, however, the NPH director suggested a plan to conduct the nutrition campaign with another event planned by the Nursing Section. If the nutrition campaign becomes a part of another event, less effort would be required for preparation while DN’s own activities could be limited. We asked DN staffs what they would like to do and left a decision up to them.

Next day, Dr. Daney, a leader of DN, came to us and told, “We understand that event preparation requires a lot of work, but we would like to gain confidence in getting DN recognized in NPH and working independently. We also would like to take this challenge to pursue our own purpose of the nutrition campaign. We have already convinced the NPH director to support DN’s decision.”
Her comment inspired FIDR staffs, and we decided to advance the plan for DN’s conducting the campaign independently.
Kyoto Morning Rotary Club supporting NDMP since 2007 provided financial supports on the campaign, and their supports greatly encouraged DN staffs. FIDR helped DN prepare the campaign on demand while respecting their independence.

On January 18th, 2019, the day of the event. Nutrition Campaign was a great success with about 180 participants from inside and outside of NPH. In the opening ceremony, three doctors of DN explained about diet and nutrition management and nutrition counseling to the hospital staff and patients’ family.
The three doctors got very nervous before the ceremony, but they successfully made the presentation. We felt that the role of NDMP was over while being very proud of them and their confidence.

In addition, the NPH director told the importance of nutrition in each hospital room. A variety of booths opened, which provided free nutrition counseling and games about nutrition, distributed samples of hospital meals, and introduced nutritious snacks.

Dr. Daney of DN presenting nutrition management at the opening ceremony

Commemorative photo taken after the ceremony. All NPH staff got united and led the campaign to success

NPH (right in front) director and hospital staffs distributing brochures and educating patients’ family

An outside booth for tasting hospital meals. Participants asking with an interest, “what kind of meals are provided while staying in the hospital?”

On the same day, the ribbon cutting ceremony of the “Nutrition Counseling Room” was held. NPH became the first national hospital in Cambodia that had a department specialized in providing advice for nutrition. Japanese nutrition experts dispatched by FIDR have trained DN’s staff for starting the counseling service so far.
From now on, they have to gain extensive experience by facing and dealing with many complex cases. This ceremony became the beginning of a new path for DN’s staff.

Mr. Yoshinobu Nishimura, the President of Kyoto Morning Rotary Club, cutting a ribbon at the opening ceremony for Nutrition Counseling Room

First patient visiting Nutrition Counseling Room