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Cambodia News, (Prey Veng Province): A 56-year-old man died on the afternoon of September 22, 2022, after Dr. Sovan Ream applied serum in four injections. One day earlier, the man, who was suffering from arthritis, rode a motorbike to Sovan Ream Clinic. Siem village, Sdao Kong commune, Ba Phnom district, Prey Veng province.

After the victim died, Dr. Sovan Ream negotiated with his family to provide US$1,000 for the funeral, in order to end the story with no lawsuits. As it is, the so-called "doctor" has not been investigated, has not been sanctioned, and will continue to run his medical practice.

The same source said that the man who died was named Hem Phuong, 56 years old, living in Trabek village, Sdao Kong commune, Ba Phnom district, Prey Veng province. The owner of the clinic is Sovann Ream, a 35-year-old man in Siem village, Sdao Kong commune, Ba Phnom district, Prey Veng province.


Sources confirmed that the victim had rheumatoid arthritis, but not seriously; he was able to walk and work normally, but he had sore joints. On the morning of September 21, 2022, the victim rode a motorcycle to consult at the "Sovan Ream" clinic. At that time, the doctor injected the man with an unknown serum four times. Suddenly, the victim had a severe reaction, suffered severe pain, and lost consciousness. On the morning of September 22, 2022, the doctor called an ambulance to transport the victim from his clinic to Ba Phnom District Referral Hospital.

However, seeing that the condition was too severe, the patient was taken to Prey Veng Provincial Referral Hospital, but the doctors then sent him to Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh. However, during the journey, the doctor said that the patient had lost his pulse and could not be saved, and the family took the patient home.

In relation to the above case, the authorities do not dare to conclude whether it was due to a technical error or the wrong medication or an overdose of serum or an injection.
Regarding this case, our reporter tried to ask for an explanation from Mr. Sovann Ream, the owner of the above clinic, but he could not be reached.

On the afternoon of October 4, 2022, Sdao Kong commune police said that after the media published the story of the patient that died, the director of the Department of Health Prey Veng Province led the force to close the Sovan Ream Clinic on September 28, 2022.
But the public is still not satisfied that the director of the provincial health department did not impose legal sanctions on Dr. Sovan Ream, and that the family of the victim of the medical bungle only received $ 1,000 for the funeral to end the story.
- Kohsantepheapdaily

A neighborhood "doctor" tried to inject my Mother in law with MORPHINE due to diabetes giving her sore legs (she wasn't in that much pain almost similar to the uncle who was murdred here, we've changed her diet, after much knock back from most of the clan and she doesn't have diabetes anymore) and I had to be talked out of calling the MoH on the guy. he had a degree on the wall, whatever that was worth..

Darkcel wrote: ↑Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:58 pm A neighborhood "doctor" tried to inject my Mother in law with MORPHINE due to diabetes giving her sore legs (she wasn't in that much pain almost similar to the uncle who was murdred here, we've changed her diet, after much knock back from most of the clan and she doesn't have diabetes anymore) and I had to be talked out of calling the MoH on the guy. he had a degree on the wall, whatever that was worth..

You were lucky, or smart, knowing it was morphine. Usually they just use the word 'medicine' (ថ្នាំ) and inject something, and no record is made as well.

Makes you wonder if most of these Doctors shouldn't be replaced by some kind of app on villagers' smartphones.

pootylicious wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 4:12 pm Makes you wonder if most of these Doctors shouldn't be replaced by some kind of app on villagers' smartphones.

So you want to deny healthcare to women? On another thread you said that women shouldn't be allowed to own smartphones

It’s amazing, the faith some Cambodians place in people they consider to be doctors or healers, not questioning the training or qualifications they may or may not have.
I was at a function in the village a few years back, and the home owner approached me with a plastic container of large pills they had been given, asking if I could tell them what they were for (there was a label with instructions written in “barang” (English).
They were some form of painkiller (I don’t recall which) with details of dosage etc, and a warning saying they should not be used by women while menstruating.
The bottle had contained 1,000 pills (now about three quarters full) and they were also about five years out of date.
After translating this information (with the help of a Khmer who spoke English) word quickly spread that I was a doctor (I am absolutely not) and I was pestered over the following days, by people rocking up and explaining their illness/symptoms/ wounds (one guy had a full inch missing from the tip of an index finger, which he’d just planed off) each person fully expecting me to treat them.
It took quite some time and explaining to finally convince folk that I was not a doctor, but if I hadn’t denied it, I’d bet that some of them would have quite happily let me medicate or even operate on them (and no doubt, that bottle of ancient pills is still being circulated around the village today)

Never use a Khmer for anything medical. Even a massage carries risks (kneecaps and your Achilles tendon DO NOT need massaging).

I know there are some decent dentists here, but I won't use any of them. Why take the chance?

Bluenose wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:05 pm

pootylicious wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 4:12 pm Makes you wonder if most of these Doctors shouldn't be replaced by some kind of app on villagers' smartphones.

So you want to deny healthcare to women? On another thread you said that women shouldn't be allowed to own smartphones

In case of sickness they might be allowed to borrow one from a trusted male, to be used under supervision of the village elders.

I was once scolded for examining a Khmer doctor’s medical diplomas displayed on the office wall. It was considered an insult to do so. Knowing that they existed should have been more than good enough to care for a relative.