Hundreds of Covid-19 patients at Tuol Pongro treatment centre in Phnom Penh were filled with joy after hearing a thunderous noise and then a voice from above telling them they had recovered from the disease.

It was the treatment centre’s PA system informing them all at once of the good news: all the tests that day had come back negative. They were going home.

Samnang, one of the patients being treated there, expressed joy when he recovered and was discharged on May 12 from the centre.

“This disease is really dangerous, but what allows me and other patients to recover quickly are the good treatment and the high quality of healthcare provided the whole time. Doctors have followed up my health since then,” he said, adding that Hun Manet – Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces – and his wife Pich Chanmony had focused on providing good treatment facilities, good food, encouragement and strength of mind for him and the others.

Another patient, Bopha, who works in a factory in Por Sen Chey district, recovered after she was sent to Great Duke Hotel – which has been turned into a treatment facility – for a mild case of Covid-19 for 16 days. She got back to work two days ago.

“I didn’t think that doctors would pay so much attention to the patients but they always asked me about my health and gave me medicine. And the food was good,” she said, adding that the doctors also encouraged them to exercise.

“They have never used harsh words or yelled at or blamed me or the others. They have never discriminated against us or looked down on us either.

“Initially, I was afraid and I was concerned that when I received treatment, it would not be good. But what I experienced was totally different,” she said.

Another patient said in a burst of tears: “I would like to thank the medical staff for taking caring of me. They helped me recover from this disease. The Covid-19 team at this treatment centre is so good and they have worked hard to save my life.”

Chanthou, a pregnant garment worker in Por Sen Chey who was infected with Covid-19 and recovered on May 17, expressed her gratitude to the Samdech Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Association (TYDA) for taking care of her.

“The accommodations and food and healthcare were all good and that is different from what I was expecting before I got here. My brothers and sisters and parents were concerned that there would be no medical care. I was afraid it would be difficult. But my fears were a stark contrast to the reality,” she said.

A doctor of TYDA spoke to the recovered patients on May 17 that in order to avoid staying at the centre, they had to adhere to health guidelines including the “three protections and three don’ts”.

“Brothers and sisters please do not memorise the guidelines and fail to follow them. You have to correctly implement them. Do not get infected with Covid-19 again. You recovered today, but that does not mean that you can no longer get infected. This disease mutates constantly. There have been many variants of the virus,” he said.

Another doctor from TYDA said in a video clip that the doctors have volunteered to work against Covid-19 despite the difficulties they faced.

“We, the doctors, have to beat this disease. My family was concerned but did not prohibit me from doing this work because I came to help society in this dangerous time,” he said in the clip.

Samnang, who walked out of the treatment facility raising his hands in victory, said: “The heartfelt gestures of brother Hun Manet and sister Pich Chanmony and all the doctors gave me peace of mind. Their strength helped us to struggle and overcome our difficulties and beat this disease. I have nothing but gratitude for them. I wholeheartedly thank the doctors for saving my life and the lives of so many others.”

As of May 19, Cambodia had recorded a total of 23,282 Covid-19 cases 14,955 recoveries and 159 fatalities.