Phnom Penh (FN), Mar. 4 – The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the grant aid agency of the South Korean government, selected Soonchunhyang University Medical Center (SCHM) as the Project Management Consultant (PMC) for a project aimed at enhancing healthcare services in the Dangkor district of Phnom Penh. Through this initiative, Dangkor Referral Hospital will become the first CPA2-level hospital in the capital, with the goal of transforming it into a central hub for emergency medical services and a crucial ‘Gatekeeper’ to manage patient flow in Dangkor district and surrounding area.
The Cambodian Ministry of Health's CPA2 classification, designed to elevate hospital standards by ensuring the provision of advanced medical personnel, equipment, and services, will enable Dangkor Referral Hospital to implement highly efficient triage protocols. This enhanced capacity will be critical for the rapid assessment of emergency patients and the subsequent delivery of appropriate care, playing a vital role in reducing the workload at the national hospital level and improving the overall medical response for the community.
On March 3, KOICA and Phnom Penh Capital Administration (PPCA) with SCHM held the official commencement ceremony for the “Project for Improvement of Public Health Services in Dangkor District Referral Hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia” at Phnom Penh City Hall. The event was attended by SHIN Jung Yeon, Deputy Director of KOICA Cambodia Office, and Seng Vannak and Imran Hassan, Deputy Governor of Phnom Penh, along with other local officials, where they discussed the project’s implementation plans.
The newly designated hospital will feature an emergency room, two operating theaters, and a maternity ward, providing integrated services in internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, dentistry, and essential hospital care, and prioritizing two critical healthcare areas: Emergency trauma care and Maternal health, particularly emergency obstetrics.
To further enhance its role in emergency care, KOICA is strengthening the hospital’s capacity by upgrading infrastructure, training medical staff in key specialties, and establishing an efficient patient transfer system. These efforts will ensure timely treatment for patients in need and position Dangkor Referral Hospital as a ‘Patient-Friendly, Safe, and Trusted Hospital,’ expanding access to quality healthcare, especially for underserved communities.
Shin Jung Yeon, Deputy Director of KOICA Cambodia office, emphasized the strong support and cooperation of PPCA, along with SCHM’s extensive experience and expertise from successfully implementing KOICA’s past hospital capacity-building projects in Cambodia, highlighting that this project is expected to serve as a model for the future development of referral hospitals in Phnom Penh.
Since February, SCHM has been actively preparing for the launch of the project, engaging in medical planning discussions, visiting related institutions, and conducting baseline surveys to ensure effective performance management. In March, the team visited local partner hospitals to collect patient information, coordinate training programs, and tour key hospital facilities, marking the official start of project activities.
Kim Yong-hyun, Team leader of SCHM’s International Project Corps, also expressed confidence in the success of the project, stating, “Our team is committed to leveraging our extensive experience and knowledge from long-term cooperation with Cambodia to ensure the success of this project. We aim to strengthen the trust and partnership between Korea and Cambodia while contributing to the health and well-being of the local community.”
This partnership among KOICA, SCHM, and PPCA is set to significantly enhance healthcare services in Phnom Penh, especially in emergency care, and improve accessibility to quality healthcare for vulnerable communities in the region.
=FRESH NEWS
