KOICA Builds Cambodia's Only ENT Specialty Hospital with 110 Years of History

New Otorhinolaryngology Ward Constructed at Ang Duong Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia... 5 Floors, 4,177㎡
Improvement of Aging Hospital Facilities, Medical Equipment Support, and Healthcare Workforce Capacity Enhancement Initiatives

On the 21st (local time) in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the "Cambodia Andoung Hospital ENT Capacity Building Project" hosted by KOICA, Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health of Cambodia (fourth from the right in the front row), Noh Hyun-jun, Director of KOICA Cambodia Office (third from the right in the front row), and Low Rikying, Director of Andoung Hospital (second from the right in the front row), performed a traditional Cambodian ritual of placing stones into the pit and scattering grains to pray for the successful implementation of the project.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) announced on the 24th that it will construct a new otolaryngology ward as Cambodia's only otolaryngology specialty hospital has become outdated.

KOICA stated that on the 21st (local time), a groundbreaking ceremony for the "Cambodia Otolaryngology Hospital Capacity Building Project" was held in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The modernized otolaryngology ward, scheduled for completion by the end of next year, will be a five-story building with an area of 4,177㎡, equipped with six operating rooms, 24 patient rooms, consultation rooms, examination rooms, education and research rooms, and an administration department. The existing building currently used as the otolaryngology ward will be demolished.

The otolaryngology department of Cambodia's Ang Duong Hospital is the only specialized otolaryngology hospital in Cambodia capable of smoothly performing ear, nose, throat, and head and neck surgeries and treatments. Currently, 35 Cambodian otolaryngology specialists work there, and approximately 90,000 patients receive treatment annually.

However, Ang Duong Hospital is still using a building constructed in 1910 almost as is, and the medical equipment is either insufficient or outdated, making accurate diagnosis and surgery difficult. Additionally, as new specialists are trained annually through residency at Ang Duong Hospital, securing modernized spaces for surgical demonstrations and special lectures, as well as continuous medical skill capacity building for local medical staff who supervise residents, is essential.

Accordingly, KOICA launched the "Cambodia Otolaryngology Hospital Capacity Building Project" in 2018 and plans to invest $8 million by 2022 to comprehensively support △construction of a new otolaryngology ward at Ang Duong Hospital △provision of over 700 medical devices including endoscopy systems and ultrasound equipment △education and technology transfer through dispatching otolaryngology medical staff from domestic hospitals △inviting medical personnel for training △consulting on hospital revenue structures and operational plans for sustainable hospital management, thereby strengthening medical infrastructure, human resources, and hospital operations.

Last year, as part of this project, the 1st Korea-Cambodia Otolaryngology Academic Conference, medical staff training invitations, and hospital operation consulting were conducted.

KOICA expects that improving hospital facilities and replacing medical equipment will enhance the quality of otolaryngology and head and neck medical services in Cambodia, reduce the possibility of medical accidents through capacity building of medical staff, and positively impact the development of medical technology in Cambodia.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held under the chairmanship of Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health of Cambodia, with a small-scale traditional Cambodian Buddhist ritual to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Attendees included Noh Hyun-jun, Director of KOICA Cambodia Office, and Lou Lykheang, Director of Ang Duong Hospital.

Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health of Cambodia, said, "Through this project, Cambodian citizens will be able to receive treatment at Ang Duong Hospital's otolaryngology department, which is equipped with excellent medical facilities," and expressed gratitude for KOICA's promotion of this otolaryngology hospital capacity building project.

Noh Hyun-jun, Director of KOICA Cambodia Office, stated, "Ang Duong Hospital's otolaryngology department is the only specialized otolaryngology hospital in Cambodia that patients nationwide visit, and it is a hospital of great educational importance for medical personnel," adding, "We will strive to maintain a sustainable healthcare system in Cambodia not only by directly benefiting Cambodian otolaryngology patients but also by supporting the training and capacity building of medical personnel."

Meanwhile, since the spread of COVID-19, KOICA Cambodia Office has been operating a safety response task force composed of KOICA officials and global cooperation doctors to ensure the safety of KOICA dispatched personnel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.