His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, and Her Majesty the Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, accompanied by Samdech Kittiprittbandit Bun Rany Hun Sen, First Lady and President of the Cambodian Red Cross, have presided over the 25th anniversary of Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals.
Taking place here in Phnom Penh yesterday, the anniversary celebration was also married to the inauguration of information centre of Kantha Bopha IV Children’s Hospital.
The first of the humanitarian children’s hospital called Kantha Bopha I was founded on Nov. 2, 1992 in Phnom Penh capital by a Swiss pediatrician who brands himself as Dr. Beat Beatocello Richner.
With role model services and outstanding services, the hospital has enabled more branches in the capital including Kantha Bopha II in 1996, IV in 2005 and V in 2007, and expanded to Siem Reap province with Jayavarman VII (Kantha Bopha III) in 1999.
According to the figure shared by the management of the hospital, Dr. Richner’s hospitals have served almost 17 million cases of both children and pregnant women in Cambodia through an investment of around US$632 million to date.
Of the said cases, nearly two million are severe and hospitalised, and over 245,000 are child deliveries.
Employing around 2,500 Cambodian staff, Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals have contributed indispensably to reducing the child and maternal mortality rate in Cambodia, and honourably recognised by the Royal Government of Cambodia.
The observance of the hospitals’ 25th anniversary was also joined by members of the royal family and concerned senior government officials.
By Mom Chandara Soleil
