Thursday, June 10, 2010

Kandal province authority put obstacle to US doctors’ free treatment

US army doctors providing free medical care on 09 June 2010 (Photo: Ouk Savborey, RFA)

10 June 2010
By Ouk Savborey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from French by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer


US army and Cambodian army doctors have cooperated to provide medical care for people living in Kandal province, however, the provincial authority ordered this humanitarian action to be moved to another location.

The Kandal provincial authority created obstacle for US doctors who volunteered to provide free medical care inside the Pung Peng Cheng center [KI-Media note: Mr. Pung Peng Cheng was a former minister in the Sangkum Reastr Niyum regime, he is also the father of Dr. Pung Chiv Kek], located in Wat Pothisat Pagoda, Kandal Stung district. The authority ordered the doctors to move their operation from the Pung Peng Cheng center to Wat Obolchoutnaram Pagoda which is located about 6 km from the original location. This obstacle took place on Wednesday 09 June 2010.

An anonymous provincial official said about this order that: “The change is due to the fact that the Wat Pothisat health center is an illegal clinic, therefore, it has be moved here instead.”

Dr. Pung Chiv Kek, the organizer of the free medical care said after the order was issued to prevent the medical care: “I regret this. People traveled here since yesterday, and they came to sleep here overnight. When I got here this morning, I saw more than one thousand of them who were waiting. Then they told them to go to another pagoda instead!”

After Ben, a US embassy official who declined to interview with RFA and who cooperated with Licadho, contacted the Kandal provincial authority to ask the authorization from the provincial governor, at about 10AM, the authorization was provided for the medical care operation to be moved to Wat Obolchoutnaram Pagoda – aka Wat Phnoun Pagoda – located in Kandal Stung district, but at a distance of 6 km away from Wat Pothisat Pagoda.

Hundreds of villagers from Kampong Speu, Kandal and Takeo province had to queue up to get their number and they had to wait until 2PM before the medical care started.

22 US army doctors and 15 Cambodian army doctors volunteered to provide eye care, dental care and general medicine care to Cambodian people inside Wat Phnoun Pagoda following the obstacle set by the authority.

Following his medical care, a patient from Takeo province indicated: “The US doctors gave me medicines for foot pain, vitamins, toothbrush, tooth paste, and even a backpack…”

The free medical care will last 3 days from 09 to 11 June. The US army doctors have prepared medicines and materials to be distributed to about 1,000 patients per day. They distributed pills, serum fluid that last for a week and they also handed out materials for use by the patient also.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too ashame. why don't you guys asking to CPP to involve with you? if you ask them they will give you a better place. Next time don;t forget to put CPP logo on your distribute materials.

Anonymous said...

The authorities are not happy to hte free treatment of US medical team at all but if they get bribe then haha may be they them work.

Anonymous said...

This only show how selfish Cambodian People are.

They never help their own people and think only about themself and money.

What a shame!
One more reason why foreigners are looking down to Cambodians and see them like monkeys, specially Vietnamese who help each other in the USA but Khmer, NEVER!

Anonymous said...

Thank you USA,
May Buddha bless you!

Anonymous said...

HOW MANY THE YUON AND CHINA HAD BUILT SCHOOLS AND GOOD HOSPITALS FOR CAMBODIA?

HOW MUCH HELP THE YUON's AND THE CHINESE's DOCTORS WERE GIVEN THE POOR KHMER CITIZEN AS A WHOLE?

Dr. PONG CHIV KHENG HAVE DONE TREMENDOUSLY FOR THE POOR KHMER CITIZEN, BUT MOST OF THE CPP GOVERNMENT YUON's SLAVE DID NOT WANT TO SEE KHMER RECEIVE GOOD HEALTH AND GOOD EDUCATION.

MAY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BLESS Dr. PONG CHIV KHENG ALWAYS.

IS IT TIME THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DESTROY THIS DEVIL HUN SEN AND ENTIRE BAD CPP GOVERNMENT?

Anonymous said...

Thank American army doctors..

Anonymous said...

Thank you American people for helping my lovely country.

Anonymous said...

Cambodians need money to build pagoda. They don't have anything to spare with those inneed. I heard my brother said the samething in US, Canada and every where else they compete each other to build temple. But overlooked their own people who realy need help. It's shame on our race. Why don't they learn something? I see foreigners took their time and risk to help us but we careless.