HENG CHIVOAN; Senate President Chea Sim speaks to a young patient at the children’s cardiology centre at Calmette Hospital on Tuesday. The Phnom Penh Post
Written by Chhay Chanyda
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Rising instances of congenital heart defects among the young prompt Calmette Hospital to act
CAMBODIA'S first children's cardiology centre opened Tuesday at Calmette Hospital, aimed at treating a rising number of youngsters with congenital heart defects.
"The [old] heart centre was small and crowded. The number of patients has been increasing every day, so we decided to build another heart center specifically for child patients," Health Minister Nuth Sokhom said during the opening of the US$320,000 centre that was also attended by Senate President Chea Sim.
"The new building is an achievement that will enhance our capacity to promote people's welfare," Nuth Sokhom said, adding that the heart centre was constructed with financial help from the French humanitarian NGO La chaine de l'Espoire and Calmette Hospital.
A new neurology centre was also inaugurated at the same ceremony, he said.
Cambodia leads the way
Chea Sim, who is also the vice president of Cambodian Medical Foundation, said that treatment for heart problems costs much less in Cambodia than elsewhere.
"While in Singapore, Thailand, France and the US heart treatment costs from $10,000 to $50,000, in Cambodia people usually only pay up to $5,000," he said.
Heng Tay Kry, secretary of state at the Ministry of Health and director of Calmette Hospital, told the Post in an interview after the opening that many thousands of Cambodian children have been affected by heart disease, prompting Calmette to build a new centre specifically for children.
"Many of them have heart disease since birth and need surgery," he said.
"In Cambodia, there is only Calmette for such disease."
Written by Chhay Chanyda
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Rising instances of congenital heart defects among the young prompt Calmette Hospital to act
CAMBODIA'S first children's cardiology centre opened Tuesday at Calmette Hospital, aimed at treating a rising number of youngsters with congenital heart defects.
"The [old] heart centre was small and crowded. The number of patients has been increasing every day, so we decided to build another heart center specifically for child patients," Health Minister Nuth Sokhom said during the opening of the US$320,000 centre that was also attended by Senate President Chea Sim.
"The new building is an achievement that will enhance our capacity to promote people's welfare," Nuth Sokhom said, adding that the heart centre was constructed with financial help from the French humanitarian NGO La chaine de l'Espoire and Calmette Hospital.
A new neurology centre was also inaugurated at the same ceremony, he said.
Cambodia leads the way
Chea Sim, who is also the vice president of Cambodian Medical Foundation, said that treatment for heart problems costs much less in Cambodia than elsewhere.
"While in Singapore, Thailand, France and the US heart treatment costs from $10,000 to $50,000, in Cambodia people usually only pay up to $5,000," he said.
Heng Tay Kry, secretary of state at the Ministry of Health and director of Calmette Hospital, told the Post in an interview after the opening that many thousands of Cambodian children have been affected by heart disease, prompting Calmette to build a new centre specifically for children.
"Many of them have heart disease since birth and need surgery," he said.
"In Cambodia, there is only Calmette for such disease."
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