Ordinary citizens and expats have long experience of having to find blood donors for emergency operations in Cambodian hospitals.

September 6, 2021
Governor lashes out at Cambodia-Japan Friendship Hospital for ridiculous requirements

Um Reatrey, the governor of Banteay Meanchey lashed out at the Cambodia-Japan Friendship Hospital in Mongkol Borei for not living up to its name of a friendship hospital in an emergency case involving the Prime Ministers bodyguard.

The bodyguard, Ann Lean, a lieutenant colonel, who had come to Banteay Meanchey on a mission had to undergo an emergency operation.

The Governor of Banteay Meanchey Province wrote in his face book page as follows:

“Today at 10:05 pm (September 4), I donated blood to save Ann Lean, a lieutenant colonel, a bodyguard of Samdech Techo, who came to Banteay Meanchey on a mission. He had to be operated on at Mongkul Borei Provincial Hospital.

The hospital recommended that we find a blood donor and pay for the services before the surgery could be performed, even when the patient is seriously ill. How could this kind of management be allowed as it is unethical and they do not know how to manage the work.

This is also not the first time such an incident has happened as there have been many complaints about the hospital’s services. Vuthy Navuth, the chairman of the hospital was singled out by governor Um Reatrey.”

Others said that if the governor faced that situation in a case where he himself had donated blood in an emergency case and the patient was the prime minister’s body guard, what about the common person?

The common person would have no chance of survival or getting treatment at the hospital, several people reached by phone said.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50929820/b ... uirements/

As with most issues the "common people" face, the upper echelon don't react or do anything . It is only when one of their own is affected that they spit the dummy.

Sad but a reality in Cambodia.

Doc67 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:24 am Do they have blood donor 'drives' here? Do Cambodians have a sense of altruism needed to go and give blood, and get nothing in return? I can't see the rich ones queueing up for this idea.

They do (we do at our workplace) but it is not heavily subscribed to and it seems to have stopped during times of covid, so I am sure there is a major shortage

Arget wrote:As with most issues the "common people" face, the upper echelon don't react or do anything . It is only when one of their own is affected that they spit the dummy.

Sad but a reality in Cambodia.

Yeah, the article should be an Onion piece: "Rich and powerful people shocked at being treated like commoners" or "Lack of special treatment causes uproar amongst the Elite".

newkidontheblock wrote: ↑Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:30 pm According to the article the officer was on a mission when he needed emergency surgery. Why didn’t he go to the military hospital?

Lots of questions. Doubt answers will be forthcoming.

Maybe another round of blame the foreigner coming?

Foreigners ? What are you talking about NKOTB ? Where do you see foreigners ? This is a Khmer-Khmer pass the buck. Hospital chairman is blamed by Governor for lack of blood for a transfusion. It is only news because the patient is PM's bodyguard.

However, it is well-known that the shortage of blood for transfusions is a common problem in hospitals all over Cambodia.(Just read the appeals for blood donors on CEO or on FB.)