PHNOM PENH: The Cambodia-Korea Friendship ENT building of Ang Duong Hospital, which took 2 years to build with a grant from the Republic of Korea, was officially inaugurated on Monday, 28 March, under the presidency of the Prime Minister Hun Sen. Construction for the building began on 12 March 2020 and was completed on 20 March 2022, with a total budget of more than $8 million dollars.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Minister of Health, Mam Bunheng, said that this building is the second achievement made under Cambodia-Korea Cooperation, following the Eye Center that was officially launched in May 2015. He added that the new ENT building would help to boost Cambodia's health services to another level.
He said, "This achievement showcases the invaluable bond, friendship and cooperation between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Government of the Republic of Korea, which is constantly being strengthened and expanded under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen along with the leadership from Korea.”
The building has five floors and is built on a total land area of 4,177.94 square meters. There are a total of 128 beds in the new building, which includes an outpatient examination room, post-surgery room and emergency room.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia, Park Heung-Kyeong, stated that in the last five years, Cambodia and Korea have been working together on a project to build the Ear, Nose and Throat Center at Ang Duong Hospital to increase the capacity of the health sector in Cambodia, particularly in the field of ENT specialization. He said he considers the Cambodia-Korea Friendship ENT building to be a strong part of the joint effort between the two countries.
He said, "Preah Ang Duong Hospital plays an important role in the treatment of ear, nose and throat diseases, and the most important part is to provide training to medical students. Now, this new building for treating ear, nose and throat diseases, equipped with modern diagnostics and surgical treatment equipment, will take the hospital to a whole new level. I really believe that it will be another important part of the development of the health sector in Cambodia.”
Preah Ang Duong Hospital has been a public administrative institution since November 2012, for the treatment of ears, nose, throat, eyes, mouth, teeth, and skin, and with departments in cosmetic surgery, gynecology, general surgery and diabetes. The hospital became the first public hospital to process digital patient registrations and prescriptions.
Presiding over the ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen delivered his speech and said that the new building shows the dedication of the Royal Government of Cambodia, cooperating with development partners, to bring specialty medical services to meet the needs of the Cambodian people. He added that in the future, an ophthalmology center will also be built at Preah Ang Duong Hospital.
The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction over the diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea, which has brought many aid projects to Cambodia, including projects in the fields of health, education, culture, information and communication technology.
"That is what is called the fruits of Cambodia-Korea relations. As a leader and founder of the relationship between Cambodia and the Republic of Korea, I am proud that we have chosen our diplomacy correctly and have maintained this relationship to this day," he said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen played an important role in the reestablishment of Cambodia-Korea relations in 1997. Over the past 25 years, bilateral relations between the two countries have reached a new high, with joint projects to boost health, trade, investment, tourism and development assistance, and with cooperation between the two counterparts seen in many fields ranging from politics to economics.
