Battambang: A woman from Battambang province has accused doctors at the Pailin Provincial Referral Hospital for neglecting her newborn son’s health which resulted in his death. Her three-minute video clip telling her story and appealing for justice for her son has gone viral on social media, but doctors have been quick to defend themselves, saying they did all they could to save the baby boy, but he was born too weak to survive.

The video has spread like wildfire on social media. In it is Thong Chantin, a 26-year-old from Battambang province. She gave birth in Pailin Provincial Referral Hospital. She’s now accusing doctors of neglecting him because she is Covid-19 positive and did not have any money. She claims she was left with her son in a dirty room, but the medical team at Pailin Provincial Referral Hospital have denied the accusations.

The hospital’s director, Dr. Kim Samnang, says Chantin’s baby was born with a very weak heart. He says Chantin was initially admitted to the Phnom Spong Health Centre for Covid-19 treatment, but when she went into labour, they decided to transfer her to the Pailin Provincial Referral Hospital because they didn’t have the right equipment. The baby was born last Thursday weighing 2.7 kilograms, but doctors noticed that the baby was not healthy.

Dr. Samnang says the Battambang Provincial Health Department refused to have the mother and child transferred owing to her Covid status. Instead, the baby was sent to Kantha Bopha Hospital in Siem Reap where he died. Dr Samnang has stressed that everyone tried their very best to save him.