The Pochentong Friendship Hospital, Chaktomuk Friendship Hospital and the Friendship Centre of Hope were all shuttered by the Ministry of Health late last week. It said the closures were the result of the clinics not having qualified medics on the premises and a lack of reporting to the ministry.

Several patients who have scheduled checkups or treatment at one of the Friendship clinics in Phnom Penh are still hopeful that the hospitals may reopen soon, while some are still unaware of the closure and have been arriving at the now-closed establishments.

Nget Non travelled from his home in Kampot for regular checkups and to receive his medication from one of the Friendship hospitals. He had come for his regular three-month checkup, unaware that the hospital had closed. The Post spoke to him outside the hospital on May 15.

In his 70s, Non expressed his hopes that the health ministry will re-license the hospital so he and his fellow patients can continue to receive treatment.

“I was not aware that it had closed. I took a taxi from home for 30,000 riel [$7.50] and will have to pay the same to return home. My prescription medication will run out in less than 10 days,” he said.

“I have not yet recovered from my illness. If it does not reopen soon, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to stop taking my medication, and I hope the government will reopen the hospital soon,” he added.

Fellow patient So Van, 70, was also waiting outside the hospital when she spoke with The Post.

She explained that compared to hospitals overseas and the Kingdom’s other private hospitals, the healthcare services at the clinic were affordable and of a good standard. She said she had been coming to the hospital for treatment since it was a state hospital, and had continued after it was privatised.

“My husband and I have been coming here for more than a decade. My husband suffers from heart disease and I used to have intestinal problems,” she said.

“Even after it became a private hospital, the treatment was still good and affordable. I have recovered from my condition and no longer need treatment, but always imagined that I would return here if I fell ill again. To be honest, I was surprised by how fearful I felt when it closed,” she added.

The management of Friendship clinics could not be reached for comment on May 15, while the medics and administrative staff of the hospital declined to speak to The Post.

In a May 13 social media post, the management of the three branches described the closures as “a temporary suspension of treatment service”.

“Management is making an effort to resolve the issue as soon as possible ... We will provide an update as soon as possible,” it said.

Health ministry spokeswoman Or Vandine could not be reached for comment on May 15.