The Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) donated $1 million to the Cambodia Kantha Bopha Foundation to mark the 74th observation of International Children’s Day on June 1.

The donation was handed over by CRC treasurer general Ouk Maly, on behalf of CRC president Bun Rany. The donation was then passed to Denis Laurent, general-director and representative of the Kantha Bopha Swiss Foundation.

Ouk Maly said this was the sixth such donation since 2012.

On behalf of Bun Rany, she thanked the Swiss foundation for their cooperation with the Cambodian foundation to ensure the sustainability of the group’s hospitals.

According to Ouk Maly, Bun Rany has always regarded the Kantha Bopha hospitals as one of the CRC’s priority partners for their contribution to the field of children’s health in Cambodia.

Ros Seilava, director of the Cambodia foundation, thanked the CRC for its contribution, noting that it reflected the close attention the CRC pays to the youngest members of Cambodian society.

“This donation will contribute to the sustainability of Kanthan Bopha Children’s Hospitals and ensure that children will have access to free healthcare and treatment,” she said.

Seilava also discussed some challenges that the hospitals are currently facing, including a lack of delivery suites.

She explained that the hospital is building a 120-bed delivery ward in Siem Reap.

According to the hospital, in the first five months of this year, more than 320,000 children received consultations and outpatient treatment through the hospitals, an increase of 52 per cent when compared to the same period last year.