Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities will construct a new hospital in Poipet commune in 2003 that could provide health services for more than 70,000 residents of Poipet.
The hospital, which will be built with $100,000 donated by the Christian and Missionary Alliance, will be constructed in Prachea Thoam village, Poipet commune, O’Chrou district, officials said on Tuesday.
“[The hospital] will help people live because for a long time most people in the area went to Thailand to receive treatment,” said Chhum Sovanarith, director of Banteay Meanchey provincial health department, adding that the construction of the hospital has received approval from the Ministry of Health.
The hospital will include a house for the O’Chrou provincial health office and will hold 32 beds for patients, he said. Although Poipet currently has three health centers, those centers cannot provide emergency medical treatment or treatment for serious illnesses, Chhum Sovanarith said.
“When patients are faced with diseases or deep sicknesses or need intensive care, they must be sent to a referral hospital in Mongkol Borei district [Banteay Meanchey province],” he said. “But often, the people send their relatives to Aranyaphrathet district in Thailand because all the [local] health centers have no professional doctors or experts.”
Chhum Sovanarith said that Mongkol Borei district is too far away for many people, and patients often spend hours waiting for transport between Poipet and Mongkol Borei district. He also said the patients face problems, such as obtaining visa documents, when they try to cross over into Thailand for medical care.
Chhum Sovanarith said he hoped many professional, well-educated doctors and experts would work at the hospital because many high-ranking officials, well-known businessmen and foreigners live in Poipet.
