Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Phnom Penh looks to medical tourism

Phnom Penh looks to medical tourism

Phnom Penh looks to medical tourism

Two high-powered developers in Cambodia are partnering with a Bangkok-based health care consultancy to establish a high-quality medical centre in Phnom Penh in the hopes of establishing the capital as a medical tourism destination.

Singapore Medical Center (SGMC), a Cambodia-based company owned by Sear Rithy and his business partner Tan Teck Kee, has partnered with Bangkok-based health care management company AJT Holdings to launch a medical centre inside Phnom Penh’s luxury condominium complex The Bridge.

The Bridge, a $300 million mixed-use project started in mid-2014, is a joint development project between Worldbridge Land – run by Rithy and Tan – and Singapore-based Oxley Holdings.

The $8 million medical centre is set to occupy 1.3 square kilometres on a single floor of the complex, and is scheduled to open in the third quarter of this year.

Dr Felicia Tan, a Singaporean breast cancer specialist, said at a press conference in Phnom Penh on Friday that the facility would provide high-calibre medical care at lower rates than in Singapore, though the facility was still aimed at the small slice of the Cambodian population that could afford international medical care.

“Surgery in Singapore sees a lot of medical tourism coming from Cambodia itself, so we want to offer those people continuous health care, so they don’t have to continue treatment under a less than adequate health care system,” she said, referring to Cambodia’s existing medical options.

Anthony Jude Tan, founder and managing director of AJT Holdings, said the primary focus of the development was to draw medical tourists to Cambodia.

“We are looking for this to be a medical tourism hub,” he said. “We want to attract people from Laos, and to be here for the expats from Taiwan and China, too.”

The facility will be outfitted with six medical professionals from Singapore, the US and Thailand and will employ approximately 30 Cambodian staff, he said, adding that if the initial site performed well, SGMC would consider setting up additional centres in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap over the course of the next two years.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.