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Places of Work, Surgery Sites
 & Transport


Please find below a description and link to all the sites that Tooth Aid Inc has been working at in Nambak District.
On the first two visits, in November 2003 and March 2004 the work was done only at the Health Care Centres (HCC) and the District Hospital.
In later visits, from June 2004, to allow better access to the clinics, we followed the 10 day market cycle of Nambak District and treatment was done both in Health Care Centres and village markets. From time to time Tooth Aid Inc has visited certain remote villages as it has come to our notice that access for the people was very limited, and there was a perceived need.

We also travel with a few other people so that a fuller treatment is available. Usually there is an eye nurse and either a doctor or super nurse coming with us.

Nambak District Hospital


Nambak is the capital of one of the 11 districts in the state of Luang Prabang. It is about 5 hours by tuktuk from Luang Prabang, or 2.5 to 3 hours by car. (Nambak itself does not exist, but is the name given generically to the 4 villages that have amalgamated into the urban mass). Nambak District Hospital Hospital is the main hospital of the district (as well as the adjoining district), in the state of Luang Prabang, looking after 60,000 people. That would put it on par with one of the major city hospitals, such as Newcastle or Katoomba, in NSW. It has been upgraded in the late 1990’s, but still the beds are of bamboo. If you want food or care, Ward Bed you need to bring it with you. There is a basic medical care with the service provided by the government, but you pay for the drugs that you use.

On the first visit the surgery 1st Clinic we worked in a small corridor Working NB between two of the wards. When I came for the March 2004 visit 2nd Clinic the corridor had been bricked in so that there was a room where the dental chair (maternity chair) and equipment could be safely stored. Since the training of the medical nurses and the subsequent posting of a volunteer dentist to the hospital, Working 2 NB treatment here is bring taken care of by these two individuals.

In November 2006, New Clinic after some 18 months of negotiation, a new dental clinic was built. The dental services moved here in 2007.

Health Care Centres


Nam Nga HCC Nam Nga HCC is about 90 minutes by tuktuk from Nambak towards Luang Prabang. It is set about 200m off the main road. There is no market in this village, but there is a HCC. Here the clinic is set up on the verandah, though in September 2004, due to renovations, we moved to a restaurant Clinic 2 NN on the main road. We continue to use the restaurant Working 1 NN or on the road if there is not enough light Working 2 NN.

Nam Tuam HCC Nam Tuam HCC is about 60 minutes by tuktuk from Nambak towards Luang Prabang. This is the largest market in the district. The old HCC was about 1.5 km from the main road. Here we used to work indoors Working 1 NT, as there was a very small verandah, but opposite windows for light. In June 2004 we worked at the police building Clinic 2 NT which was directly opposite the market. In August 04 we needed to work in the open Working 2 NT, as the police station was not accessible.

Finally in September 2004 a new HCC New NT HCC was built two doors down from the police building giving better access to the people and market. Here the clinic Working 3 NT is set up on the front verandah. Nam Tuam continues to develop very quickly as it is on the main truck route from China.

Na Yang HCC Na Yang HCC is about 30 minutes by tuktuk from Nambak away from Luang Prabang. It is in the middle of a fertile valley where they grow mainly rice. The clinic and nurses house are situated on a large piece of land . The surgery is usually set up on the verandah Working NYwith the people waiting and watching on the grassy area nearby Clinic. The market is situated across the road from the HCC. We have come here as part of the Denture Program Denture.

Xong Cha or Phoukeu HCC Xong Cha HCC is about 90 minutes from Nambak towards China (NW of Nambak). It is in the mountains and the main people who are in the area are the colourful Hmong people. The HCC, situated on the main road, is in the same style as Na Yang and the new Nam Tuam HCC. The clinic Working 1 XC is set up on the verandah with the market up the road. The people here were quite concerned that the treatment would make them go blind, so very few people wanted treatment on the first 2 visits Working 2 XC. Since then there has been a steady flow of patients with the maximum number see being 89 in one day.

Village Market Sites


Muang Taeng Clinic MT is 3 hours upstream by boat from Nam Nga, which is 90 minutes by tuktuk from Nambak. A small village serving a wider area even into the next district. People arrive by boat, tractor or walking. The clinic Working 1 MT is set up under one of the houses Working 2 MT. The market is situated at the end of the village next to the river. There are 3 villages here, one for each of the different ethnic groups.

Kok Nang Clinic KN is about 1 hour downstream from Muang Taeng. It serves quite a number of villages. People arrive by boat or walking. The clinic is set up in the village meeting hall. The market is situated about 1.5 km from the village, up stream from the village, and is not on the main track to the village.

Na Kone Clinic NK is about 30 minutes from Nambak away from Luang Prabang. This market is only open on Sundays and stays open from 6am till 9 am. The clinic Working NK here is on the front driveway of a house directly opposite the market.

Thave Clinic Thave is about 3 hours up stream by boat from Nambak. It serves a limited net of villages branching into the adjoining district. The clinic was initially set up under the kitchen house of the village chief. We would have to fight away the chickens, dogs and other scavenging animals Working 1 T as we were working.  However this building was pulled down. Now we work in the main track Working 2 T of the village, as the buildings are too low to work under. The village is built on a spur with the main track on the ridge and the houses on either side Working 3 T. The market is situated at the end of the village on the river. With the influx of people from adjoining villages the housing situation has grown rapidly with the market being reduced in size and eventually it will be moved to a more appropriate area.

Ne Clinic Ne is about 2 hours towards Luang Prabang. It is the first village in Nambak District. Most of the buildings are not on stilts, so here we work out in the open or under trees Working Ne. Whilst initially there were many clients, this soon dwindled down and we no longer visit here.

Houay Kong Clinic HK is about 45 minutes along the road from Na Yang HCC, situated at the end of the road. The road is quite picturesque as we are going further into the mountains. Here we work alongside the sellers under a house Working HK. The market here is unique in the cycle as it is along the road through the villages. The other markets are on designated areas.

Pha Luang Clinic PL is about 2 hours drive from Nam Tuam, over a few mountains. We visited here as the people told us that it was very difficult to get to the market. The road was built by the local villages so that they can get better access to the markets to sell their crops and so that cars and trucks can get to the village. As the houses are on the ground we set up under the eaves of one of the houses Working PL. Whilst this is OK for Suksida I need to work in the open as it is too low for me.

Houay Kuea Clinic HK is about 15 minutes from Pha Luang. The set up here is very similar to Pha Luang, though the roof is even low for Suksida Working HK.

Vieng Hin Clinic VH is about 90 minutes by motorcycle from Na Yang. We started coming here as part of the School Preventive Program School VH, but then there was also a need for treatment. As everything need to be brought in by motorcycle we are limited in what we can bring. We use the local chair and table out in the open so that there is enough light Working VH.

Modes of Transport


With a District like Nambak, mobility of people and equipment is vital to the success of the project. For this reason it has been decided that only material and equipment that is able to be easily transported and set up will be used. That way most of the district can be accessed by the project. Nambak district has a population of 60,000 people living in 102 villages.
The most common mode of transporting the people and equipment is by Tuktuk Tuktuk 1. It would arrive at the hospital at the appointed time and we would load everything on, then usually wait for the team to arrive, and then head off to the clinic Tuktuk 2. Setting up at the appropriate position in the village. Returning back to Nambak at the end of the day.
There are three villages that are only accessible by boat Boat 1. We load up the pencil thin boats with the materials and equipment and then head upstream to the villages. The main danger is going downstream Boat 2. Through the seasons the river levels change so that the rocks and trees are more prominent in the dry season. There are some months when boat access to the villages is not possible at all.