Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the Visit to Techo Santepheap Hospital [Unofficial Translation]

CNV:

(1) Construction is about 80% completed and scheduled for completion in June

I commend the efforts of Phnom Penh Capital Hall (and) the Ministry of Health who work together to promote construction efforts as well as the participation of workers. Our work is about 80% complete, and it is scheduled for completion in June. Why do we need to build a hospital here? … In 2020 and 2021, what happened has taught us … We did not have enough hospitals to accommodate tens of thousands of (Covid-19) patients … we have acquired a hospital, now known as the Luang Mae Hospital, which, after Covid-19 treatment, we are turning into a specialized hospital for cancer […]

(2) The largest hospital in Cambodia

[…] We must (do whatever we can to) be able to manage the situation. If there is a recurrence (of pandemic) at some point, we need to have a big hospital for long-term goals. People’s health is one of the main priorities … we decided to build a hospital here with a capacity of up to 9,496 beds. It can be considered the largest hospital (in the country) … compared to the Khmer-Soviet hospital, (this Techo Santepheap Hospital) has the capacity to receive patients equal to 10 times the number (of patients received by) the Khmer-Soviet hospital […] we also have a hostel back there for over 200 medical personnel/staff with resting place, shower rooms, dining area and kitchen […]

(3) Prepare buildings and beds in case of the recurrence of Covid-19

Equipment is already in place … We do not know if any countries have built hospitals with up to 10,000 beds like ours. Maybe they have built ones with more … but usually, (as far as I know, there are hospitals which) can accommodate only between 2,000 to 3,000 people … we build this big hospital with the goal of controlling the outbreak of infectious diseases, which is the original goal … as of now, we set up nearly 2,000 beds in a building for infectious diseases just in case. We cannot keep Covid-19 patients at other hospitals as before … we transfer the Covid-19 patients to this hospital so that those other hospitals can continue to treat patients normally […]

(4) No people slept on the streets and the dead did not lack coffins and burial ground

I am proud because (thanks to our efforts to deal with this tough Covid-19 situation,) firstly, there were no people left sleeping on the streets, and secondly, no dead one lacks a coffin or a burial ground. That is the case of our country. We do not want an outbreak of this disease … (since we have this) infectious diseases under control, we need to reorganize this hospital into a multidisciplinary one. In doing so, we would be able to reduce stress on hospitals inside the capital, which can receive only about 5000 patients […]

(5) The Ministry of Health will manage this hospital with 1 director and 5 deputies

Covid-19 warns the world to beware of (the scandalous threat of) infectious diseases. Covid-19 is not over yet … if it ever explodes again, we have this place to treat patients with adequate means … Phnom Penh Capital Hall is just helping to build. Technically, the Ministry of Health (will take over the management) … we have appointed the director of the hospital at the request of HE Mam Bun Heng. We still need five more vice directors … I allow His Excellency Mam Bun Heng, the Minister of Health to sign the appointment of the vice directors … the Ministry of Public Functions can just take the names and add them to the list. Treat it as urgent matter … we have collected 150 doctors/medical personnel from various hospitals … according to demand for specialized medical expertise, there is a need for up to 1,000 doctors … I would announce permission for the recruitment of 200 more medical doctors/personnel … in accordance with proper procedure, and the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Economy and Finance will take care of their salary and benefits once they passed the exams and complete the probation period […]

(6) The national budget for 2023 is to serve people

[…] People are concerned of increasing the budget for defense and security … a prosperous society has a need for education, social affairs and health. When the budget increases in those sectors, it is a good thing … an increase to some extent … related to investing in people to protect people’s lives is good. The 2023 budget is a budget to serve people. From now on, education and health are the highest priority sectors […] I offer the Ministry of Health and the hospital management to recruit an additional 300 contract employees … as there must be staff to take care of things such as the electricians, for instance […]

(7) Firstly, please stop accusing the CPP of stealing votes, and secondly, do not affect the honor and dignity of the CPP

In the next few days, the traditional Chinese and Vietnamese New Year will arrive … I am worried, firstly, about traffic accidents. I call on our people not to become a patient on the New Year, and secondly, be careful of fires disaster from burning incense for the ancestors and forgetting to put it out … lastly, I wanted to send a message to everyone that do not politicize everything … I beg you insistingly, but there are also legal measures against such politicization. You cannot issue a statement blaming the ruling party for threatening you. You should be careful because the CPP would be suing … (that) you issued a bounced check (for a business transaction and) the court ordered an arrest … is not a political matter […]

from now on, the CPP must firstly eliminate your words accusing the CPP of stealing votes … and if you do not end it, I will end you in court … and secondly, no matter where the CPP has its history from, you must not smear the honor and dignity of the People’s Party … I have never touched your party? Why did you come to affect the CPP? […] with these people, they never listen to polite or diplomatic language. (I am asking) foreigners not to interfere. Before intervening in Hun Sen’s words/action, they should first learn what those people are talking about? Wonder if you do not protect your dignity? […]

(8) A defeat for the one extremist political leader, a pardon for anyone who break away

Let me tell one of them that his wife and children are in Phnom Penh … I do not take your wife and children hostages … let me send a message to Van to come home and stop following those (opposition) persons. I will request a pardon for you if you want to come … I will defeat only the one extremist political leader. Apart from that, if anyone decides to break away from the clan, I will proceed with pardon […] I do not incite people to hate one another, but we ask them to give us respect. For whatever reason, they always insulted us of selling heads to Vietnam, … they accuse us of being Vietnamese, while, let me be a bit rude, their parents are truly Vietnamese […]./.

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