Monday, 26 January 2009

Cambodia honours Dr. Thangsing with Royal Order of Sahametrei

Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing, Chief of AIDS Healthcare Foundation Asia Pacific Bureau, being conferred with Cambodia’s Royal Order of Sahametrei
morungexpress
January 26, 2009

Kohima: The Royal Government of Cambodia has awarded the prestigious Royal Order of Sahametrei to Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing, Chief of AIDS Healthcare Foundation Asia Pacific Bureau. The Royal Order of Sahametrei is an honour conferred by a royal decree of the king of Cambodia, primarily on foreigners who have rendered distinguished services to the king and to the nation. The award also recognised Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing’s exemplary contribution and dedication in humanitarian services to people living with HIV/AIDS and general public in Cambodia.

The Royal Order of Sahametrei was conferred following a citation by Professor Mam Bun Heng, minister of Health on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Royal Government of Cambodia, on January 21. “This is a big honour and my proud privilege to hand over the Sahametrei to you, to honour and recognise your selfless dedication and contribution to better the lives of our people,” the minister said.Accepting the award, Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing said he was deeply honoured and humbled for being awarded the prestigious Royal Order of Sahametrei. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Royal Government of Cambodia, the ministry of health, and various other organisations and people Dr. Thangsing said he willingly endeavoured to fight for the ‘underserved and unserved’ and ‘for those who cannot do it themselves’.

Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing, MBBS, son of Paokhosoi Thangsing, graduated from North Eastern Regional Medical College and is a postgraduate fellow of the Christian Academy of Medical Sciences. He is trained in applied psychology for HIV/AIDS. He has till date dedicatedly worked for over 20 years as a physician, HIV specialist and an ardent activist in the fight for HIV/AIDS. He is the Asia Pacific Bureau Chief of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, United States of America. AHF Asia Pacific bureau operates in Cambodia, China, India, Thailand, Vietnam and Nepal.

Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, in his congratulatory message said: “What a great honour; we are all brimming with pride. We don’t do this work for the glory, but recognition such as this only confirms the importance of what we do”.

In 2005, AHF entered into a memorandum with the government, a comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support program in Cambodia. Currently, AHF Cambodia care centers operate at 11 sites. The programs focus on technical and financial assistance ensuring the provision of high quality ART treatment and management services and strengthening of continuum of care services, networks and partnership with collaborators and all relevant stakeholders. Today, the collaborative program provides life saving services to over 6,000 patients.

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