Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 8 praised Cho Ray Hospital - Phnom Penh for its hard work and contribution to strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the Cho Ray - Phnom Penh Hospital in Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh on November 9. Source: VGP

After nine years of operation, the hospital and its medical staff have done a great job in ensuring high-quality healthcare services to Cambodian people and Vietnamese expatriates, the Prime Minister said.

In the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospital has played a vital role in providing effective treatment to residents, supporting local authorities and the population to stop the spread of the disease, and connecting Vietnamese and Cambodian health specialists to discuss possible solutions to improve treatment, Prime Minister Chinh said.

“Despite difficulties and challenges brought by the pandemic, each doctor and employee of the hospital has made a great effort to contribute to the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia,” the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Chinh hoped that the traditional partnership between Vietnam and Cambodia would be fostered in all fields, especially healthcare and that the Cho Ray – Phnom Penh Hospital is not only a pride of the Vietnamese healthcare sector but also a highlight of the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

He also asked for stronger efforts and more hard work from the hospital staff to overcome adversities, fulfill its mission, ensure the best quality of healthcare services for the people and meet the demand of the two governments.

“Cho Ray – Phnom Penh Hospital must expand its activities and connect with others in Vietnam and Cambodia to offer a wider range of services and products,” PM Chinh urged.

"The hospital must continue to be creative, develop new solutions and methods to improve healthcare services, comply with the code of conduct and become a symbol of friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia."

According to Ton Thanh Tra, director of Cho Ray Hospital - Phnom Penh, the hospital has 200 beds after completing the first development phase. It is planning the second phase of construction, in which 300 beds will be added with an investment of US$36 million, of which Vietnam contributes 70%.

The hospital has received a higher number of patients in recent years. In the first ten months of 2022, more than 117,000 patients have come to the hospital, up 37% year on year. Cho Ray – Phnom Penh Hospital is now the third-class (the highest level) hospital in Cambodia, with 25 departments, some 340 employees, and doctors.

The hospital provides high-quality training for local health and medical students and Cambodian doctors and nurses who graduate from Vietnamese schools. It has also hosted several science conferences and workshops for professionals.

Significant activities at the hospital include blood donation, free health checkups for underprivileged people, prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic, and free distribution of rice and cash for people during the pandemic.