Health minister Chheang Ra meets with Philip Robinson, chairman of the Kantha Bopha Swiss Foundation, on November 21. MOH
The delegation of the Kantha Bopha Swiss Foundation have committed to continuing to support the Kantha Bopha Children’s hospital, and intend to dispatch Swiss specialists to assist the hospitals more frequently.
The pledged was made during a meeting between officials of the Ministry of Health and the management of Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospital on November 21.
According to a social media post by the health ministry, Philip Robinson, chairman of the foundation, explained that following the death of the hospital’s founder Beat Richner, the foundation began to consider its future direction. As chair of the third generation of the foundation, he has the role of finding philanthropists to support the work of the hospital.
“The foundation is committed to supporting the hospital. It has been working on additional support projects, including a cooperation project which will see university professors regularly dispatched to assist help the hospital,” he said.
Minister of Health Chheang Ra welcomed and thanked the foundation for its ongoing cooperation and support since its establishment in 1992.
“The foundation has provided a lot of support for the healthcare system for Cambodian children. For the past thirty years, it has rained human resources and supplied modern medical equipment that has saved millions of Cambodian children,” he said.
Nuth Sambath, president of the Institute of Medicine, Biology and Agriculture at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, praised the foundation for its plan to send professors to assist hospital, noting that specialist support is crucial.
“This plan is very important because the hospital is a model of love for humanity. The medical staff at the hospital have saved many children’s lives with their professionalism. I urge the government to work hard to maintain good relations with the foundation,” he said.
In related health sector news, Koy Vanny, ministry secretary of state, met with Japan-Cambodia Association (JCA) president Fumiaki Takahashi and a delegation from 26 private enterprises at the health ministry.
During the meeting, Fumiaki said several Japanese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are interested in investing in the health sector. They asked for guidance – as well as support – from the ministry.
He added that the SMEs aim to invest in cosmetic products and training, beauty care, care for the elderly and hospitals through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with the establishment of a JCA office in Cambodia next year.
Vanny welcomed the potential investment, noting that public-private partnerships are a key part of the government’s health strategy priorities.
He encouraged JCA, as well as any other potential investors, to discuss their plans with the relevant officials of each sector, so they would gain a clear understanding of existing coordination mechanisms. He also congratulated JCA on their plans to open a Phnom Penh office.
