Phnom Penh (FN), Sep. 16 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that the standards for recruiting doctors must not be lowered, but rather, strengthened to ensure the recruitment of highly skilled medical professionals.
The premier spoke on Monday (Sep. 16) during a groundbreaking ceremony of Calmette Hospital's new buildings.
Maintaining high-quality healthcare not only safeguards lives but also enhances the honour and reputation of doctors. For the health sector to thrive, it is essential that people trust the system. Samdech Thipadei called on universities and private training institutions to improve the quality of health education.
Samdech Thipadei underscored, "We must continue to enhance the quality of medical training with a strong focus on both soft and hard skills. Recently, there was a suggestion to relax the criteria for medical training, citing a shortage of doctors, urging the Ministry of Health to lower its standards. I firmly said no—medical standards must remain strict."
Samdech Thipadei continued, "We cannot compromise or lower health standards. Instead, we must elevate the level of medical expertise. Doctors are not accountants. If accountants make mistakes, corrections can be made. But doctors deal with lives; they must cure mild illnesses and prevent them from becoming severe, and they must manage serious illnesses to ensure survival or alleviate suffering."
On that occasion, Samdech Thipadei underlined that that the Royal Government has been improving physical infrastructure, upgrading medical equipment, enhancing training, recruiting and deploying doctors and health technicians, and ensuring the supply of essential medicines at health centres and district-provincial referral hospitals. These efforts are aimed at strengthening the capacity to provide quality healthcare services to local communities.
Samdech Thipadei praised the Ministry of Health for its dedicated efforts, especially in establishing key mechanisms for human capital development and expanding cooperation with stakeholders to promote the health sector and public health system, in line with the Royal Government's long-term political program and socio-economic development strategy.
=FRESH NEWS
