Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Controversial doctor opens academy

Tue, Dec 30, 2008
The Straits Times (Singapore)

SIEM REAP, COMBODIA: - A controversial Swiss doctor who has frequently clashed with international health experts is continuing his fight to bring world-class healthcare to Cambodia's children by setting up an academy to train doctors and pouring additional millions into one of his hospitals.

Dr Beat Richner, who has set up five children's hospitals in Cambodia with funds from private donors, has built a new wing at his hospital in Siem Reap, close to the renowned temples at Angkor Wat, to solve a chronic shortage of beds. He refuses to turn patients away and many children are currently treated on mats on the floor.

The US$12 million (S$17 million) extension, which incorporates a state-of-the-art MRI scanner as well as 200 extra beds, is being launched today, alongside a new academy to train young doctors who are keen to pursue similar humanitarian projects.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Dear Ki-media.
Your blog so famous.............
so may you link my blog yours?

Sincerely

Anonymous said...

On behalf of Cambodian people, thank you very much Dr. Richner for your commitment and love of Cambodia. May God Bless you and Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

KI is a breading ground for Ah radical Khmer-Yuon terrorists.

Anonymous said...

and you are one of them, fuckhead

Anonymous said...

As long as his degree is certified and recognised by the Swiss government, he is fine to pratice in Cambodia.

Khmer Los Angeles, California.

Anonymous said...

What is the matter with you guys. A kind hearted doctor helping Cambodian children also got criticized. Where the hell are you and those int'l health experts when there are thousand, if not million, of poor Cambodian children got sick?

Anonymous said...

The health policy that Dr Richner clashes with the WHO on is the modality of use of antibiotics. The WTO, with small financial support compared to the scope of population it aims to assist medically, developed a protocol for antibiotic use in less developing countries. Doctors, under the WHO guidelines, must start treatments with common and cheap antibiotic like amoxicilline before embarking on more potense and expensive ones. However it might take long and less efficient for some grave infections.
Dr Beat Richner believes that the poors, regardless of their financial status, should deserve the same kind of medical treatments as the people in developed countries do. And that's what he's trying to do. In all his hospitals, doctors have freedom to prescribe expensive antibiotics although in some cases it's not appropriate because frequent use of strong antibiotics can have a negative consequences too. In addition, it is a bad use of money.

After all, Beat Richner has done a terrefic job in getting the money for those hospitals. The amount of babies he has helped is staggering. He knows how to get the money, and in a clean and proper way. In recent news, Dr Richner refused to get a donation from the selling of a nude picture of France's first lady, Bruni.

Anonymous said...

Dr Beat Richner, thank you so much. God bless.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Dr. Richner for your courage to fight for the poors and needy. I wish you all the best for this coming new year.