Phnom Penh City Hall plans to build more referral hospitals in the capital in the coming years as the seven currently in use are nearing capacity, according to Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong.

Socheatvong made the announcement on Tuesday at a ceremony at which the Japanese government donated four ambulances for use in the city. City Hall spokesman Met Measpheakdey said the seven current hospitals were struggling to deal with the demand.

“The population has increased, and the demand for public services, especially in the health sector has increased,” Measpheakdey said, explaining that plans were still being formulated and that the number of new hospitals and their locations had not been decided.

Health and Development Alliance executive director Chum Sopha said that it was true that more hospitals were needed but that the existing referral hospitals also need more funding.

“They need to expand more hospitals, but at the same time, they need to improve the quality of existing hospitals . . . Most hospitals are understaffed.”