120 new places for mothers and their newborn babies, including a neonatal ward: the expansion of the maternity ward in our hospital in Siem Reap has been in operation since mid-February and is already being used extensively. As space in the existing maternity unit has become increasingly tight, the foundation has decided in favour of this expansion and has also created around 60 new jobs. Time has not stood still since the death of the two founders, on the contrary: "This project confirms that we are continuing to develop the operations and make the necessary adjustments," says Philip Robinson, President of the Foundation Board. Together with the Cambodian Minister of Health, Chheang Ra, the hospital management and guests of honour, he officially opened the ward block.
On a tour of the new rooms, Chheang Ra is impressed, talks to individual mothers and wants to know where they come from - some have travelled well over a hundred kilometres to give birth in the hospital. The minister asks them why they take on all this hardship. And the women tell him that if there is a problem during the birth, the maternity centre in Siem Reap is the safest place for mother and child. "There are real doctors here and the treatments are free," says Koem Socheata. The 22-year-old has just given birth to her first child, little Tykea Somaly. It sounds very similar one bed away, where Pheang Srey Leak and her baby boy Eng Thailaing are recovering: "A friend told me about the maternity ward," says the 31-year-old. And she will tell other women about the positive experience she had here.
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