Health workers in Cambodia on standby to support military, citizens on Thai border
PHNOM PENH (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): The Cambodian Ministry of Health has deployed additional staff and stockpiled medical supplies to strengthen more than 120 health centres along the border.
The beefed up clinics and centres aim to assist local citizens — as well as military personnel — along the Cambodia–Thailand border, following the recent resumption of border clashes.
During an inspection tour of the border area of Preah Vihear province on June 28 and 29, Minister of Health Chheang Ra stated that after the incident on May 28, which involved an exchange of fire between Cambodian and Thai troops, medical teams were immediately deployed to the border areas, particularly the Techo Bos Sbov area.
The teams also began inspecting health centres and community health bases along the border, from Preah Vihear province to Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Pailin, Pursat and Koh Kong.
'The health ministry stands with our people and the troops defending our nation's territory. All local-level institutions are working together in solidarity,' the minister stated.
He explained that the ministry has launched a special campaign, conducting regular inspections of health centres, but noted that due to the current border dispute, they are also delivering additional medicines and supplies to health centres, while assessing the wellbeing of local people.
'The local health centres and posts along the Cambodia–Thailand border are not isolated. Medical teams across the country are mobilising to stand with our people. We are preparing teams to be ready for any situation. We've come to assess the situation so we can be even better prepared,' he said.
The minister added that the ministry has reinforced over 120 health centres along the border, in addition to seven provincial referral hospitals and a facility in Siem Reap province.
'We have seen that our people are well-prepared, with sufficient medicines and equipment. Our staff are ready to mobilise, performing their daily duties and able to respond immediately when needed. This shows that our people are warm-hearted and well-prepared, and we hope citizens will continue to receive even better services,' he said.
During the two-day inspection trip, the minister also met with and provided donations to internally displaced people temporarily staying at Wat Po 5000 — over 5,000 individuals from 2,264 families.
The ministry stated that Ra advised the leadership of medical agencies at all levels to collaborate in providing both technical and treatment assistance, while further clarifying and deepening their understanding of the situation. In addition, they must evaluate the outcomes of expanded hospital capacity — particularly focusing on emergency response services, treatment beds, and effective referral systems.
He explained that responsible leaders must accelerate the strengthening of district hospital capacity in border areas for emergency services, and they must closely monitor the progress of this work to ensure full readiness for delivering emergency and trauma care in critical situations. - Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Over 30 swimmers stung by jellyfish at Perak open water event
IPOH: Some 30 participants of an open water swimming event were stung by jellyfish at Pantai Teluk Senangin in Lumut early this morning, albeit with minor injuries, while three were slightly more serious cases. The 2025 Teluk Senangin Open Water Swim is an inaugural open water event organised by a swimming community in Perak and held at Teluk Senangin Beach in Lumut today. The Malaysian Civil Defence Force (CDF) in Manjung District said today that about 30 to 40 swimmers were stung by the marine creatures drifting on the tide, which are regarded as one of the challenges in open water swimming. The CDF informed that in the incident at 8.15 am, two victims, a boy and a girl aged 9 and 10, needed hospital intervention from a possibly allergic reaction to the jellyfish venom. 'From CDF's initial investigation, a number of participants estimated at 30 to 40 swimmers had been stung by jellyfish. 'All were given initial treatment by personnel from the CDF on-site medical base, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and also private medical services, while two injured children were taken to the Seri Manjung Hospital for further treatment (not ICU),' the CDF said in a statement. It said the two serious cases were namely Nor Damia Qalessya Rosli, 9, and Muhammad Aqeel Zafran Norhalis Syafiq, 10, who were rushed to hospital. 'The incident occurred after the organisers flagged off the swimmers at 8 am today, however at 8.15 am all the participants had backpedalled to shore in pain and headed to the medical base to receive treatment for jellyfish stings,' according to the statement. Meanwhile, chairman of the state committee on Health, Human Resources, National Integration and Indian Community Affairs A. Sivanesan said he had received information regarding the incident involving about 225 participants. 'The number of victims stung by the marine animal is 30, the majority of whom are boys aged 11 to 15, while three other victims have been referred to Seri Manjung Hospital. 'Most of them suffered minor injuries and none were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU),' he said in a statement today. - Bernama
Daily Express
18 hours ago
- Daily Express
RM2.3 billion lost to respiratory diseases: Experts
Published on: Saturday, August 02, 2025 Published on: Sat, Aug 02, 2025 Text Size: According to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 6 per cent of adults and up to 13 per cent of children in Malaysia have asthma, with an estimated one in three sufferers remaining undiagnosed. Kota Kinabalu: Respiratory diseases continue to pose a significant challenge to the Malaysian and Sabah health systems, with experts calling for more integrated strategies to manage asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and post-tuberculosis (TB) lung conditions. According to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 6 per cent of adults and up to 13 per cent of children in Malaysia have asthma, with an estimated one in three sufferers remaining undiagnosed. Another study puts the national prevalence of COPD at 6.5 per cent among adults, a disease that often leads to breathlessness and poor quality of life. The cost of managing COPD is estimated at RM2.3 billion a year, with additional financial pressure caused by reduced productivity and increased social welfare costs. Although Sabah-specific statistics are limited, health officials believe the situation mirrors the national trend. More efforts are being made in the state to strengthen screening and diagnosis, particularly in rural areas. These issues took centre stage in here as more than 100 health experts and researchers from across Asia gathered for the Annual Scientific Meeting of the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (Respire), Held from July 29 to Aug 1, marking the first time Sabah is hosting the annual meeting since the programme was launched in 2017. Themed 'Promoting and Prioritising an Integrated Lung Health Approach', the meeting brought together participants from Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom, who presented research findings and discussed strategies to reduce the burden of lung disease in low- and middle-income countries. The discussions highlighted the need to improve early diagnosis, provide timely treatment and ensure long-term follow-up for chronic respiratory conditions, particularly for communities with limited access to healthcare. The event was officiated by Deputy Director-General of Health (Research) Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah. Dr Nor said the Ministry of Health (MOH) remains committed to addressing lung health issues through the Healthy Lungs Initiative 2025-2030, which aims to enhance screening and care services nationwide. Sabah, in particular, continues to record the highest TB burden in the country, with 161 cases per 100,000 population. In response, Respire researchers are working with the Sabah Health Department and MOH to co-develop a clinical tool for improving TB diagnosis in primary care settings, especially for patients with smear-negative results. Malaysia has also taken a lead role at the international level, tabling a resolution at the 78th World Health Assembly to address asthma, COPD, TB, lung cancer and pneumonia, along with environmental factors such as air pollution and access to affordable diagnostics and medicines. The Respire programme, led by the University of Edinburgh and Universiti Malaya, is supported by the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It aims to deliver sustainable, cost-effective respiratory health solutions through collaboration with institutions across Asia.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Kenya steps up surveillance as mpox cases rise to 314 with 5 deaths
NAIROBI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health said on Friday that 314 cases of mpox and five deaths have been recorded across the country since the outbreak began in July 2024. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said in a statement issued in the national capital of Nairobi that a total of 33 cases are currently admitted to various health facilities, while 54 cases are under home-based isolation and care. Duale said the cases were reported across 22 out of 47 counties, with the coastal city of Mombasa having the highest number of affected persons, totaling 146, followed by Busia County in western Kenya, which borders Uganda, with 63 cases. "In the last 24 hours, four additional mpox cases have been confirmed in Mombasa County (3 cases) and Nairobi County, which has one case," Duale said. The Kenyan official said a total of 222 cases have fully recovered, with five cases unfortunately succumbing to the disease, with the case fatality rate currently standing at 1.6 percent. He noted that as part of efforts to contain the outbreak, the ministry, in collaboration with county governments and partners, has intensified surveillance efforts. Duale said multidisciplinary rapid response teams have been deployed nationwide to strengthen healthcare capacity, conduct active case searches, trace and monitor contacts, and manage confirmed cases. "Over 4.7 million travellers have been screened at our airports and other points of entry, and suspected cases identified for further investigation," Duale said. The ministry has called on the public to take several precautionary measures to prevent the spread of mpox. These include avoiding contact with infected persons, using personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks when caring for the sick, and refraining from sharing bedding and clothing with those who are infected. "The public is further advised to disregard any misleading or false information that may hinder public health efforts or cause unnecessary fear and confusion," Duale said. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a rare viral disease transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. Symptoms typically include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
