The Health Ministry has shuttered a Svay Rieng province clinic after a spate of deaths following surgeries performed there.

In a letter dated October 16 and published by government-aligned media outlet Fresh News yesterday, the Ministry of Health ordered the closure of the Keto Bothra clinic, in Svay Rieng district’s Prey Thlak commune, noting the unusual number of deaths there following operations.

A local health official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Health Ministry had sent a team from Phnom Penh to evaluate and assess in recent weeks.

“They didn’t tell us the specific reasons [for the closure]; it is confidential, so it was decided by the ministry,” the official said, while adding that he was aware of several instances of post-operative deaths at the clinic.

“In 2016, there were [fatal broken] thigh operations two times, and a [fatal] hysterectomy surgery operation. And in June of 2017, there was a case of a death because of surgery on a [broken] thigh.”

Health Ministry spokesman Ly Sovann could not be reached for comment yesterday.