Health Program

DDD has always been committed to developing a work environment that promotes healthy lives. DDD has continuously strived to provide a healthy and safe environment by providing ergonomic work spaces, a clean, friendly environment and shorter working days. This, though, is not enough. The practice of preventative medicine is non-existent in Cambodia. Most Cambodians cannot afford to go to the doctor on a regular basis. The value and importance of regular visits and early medical intervention are largely not known. DDD is trying to change that for its operators and their families.

The DDD management team set out to try to make more of an impact on the health of the our operators by providing culturally sensitive onsite care. Social Mission Director Kathryn Lucatelli said, "I didn't even know how to interview a doctor or what his credentials would be here, so through contacts in the community I found our current doctor. He was providing care in the community to whoever needed it, regardless of whether they could pay. He was committed to helping people, and he agreed to help us here at DDD." DDD now employs a doctor to attend to the needs of the operators on a daily basis. The medical services provided are free of charge, and DDD pays 75% of any medicines the operators need.

The DDD management encourages the staff to take advantage of the services, and thus far the doctor has been quite busy. In addition to treating the staff, the doctor tries to educate the operators about the importance of hygiene, sanitation, and regular health care for both them and their families. The doctor holds two daily appointment sessions at DDD. Lucatelli remarked, "We are trying to encourage preventative medicine. This is a new concept to Cambodians, most Cambodians often wait until their health is really failing, this is often too late. We want our operators to be healthy and to spread their health knowledge to their friends and family.” In doing so DDD hopes to not only improve the health of the DDD staff but to spread health education to the community through the growing DDD family.