CAMBODIA

ORANGE CANCER CLINIC

Orange Cancer Clinic is changing the nature of specialist medical care in Cambodia , offering internationalstandard treatments and building confidence in the Kingdom ’ s health system .

Having only opened in December 2021 , its commitment to excellence has seen it already named “ Oncology Service Provider of the Year ” at the Cambodia Healthcare and Medical Centre Awards 2022 by Global Health Asia-Pacific magazine .

Opening a cancer clinic of excellence in the Kingdom that offered the best and most comprehensive care at an affordable price for local patients was the dream of Professor Eav Sokha , widely regarded as Cambodia ’ s first and foremost oncologist .

A visionary in Cambodian healthcare , he graduated from medical school at the University of Health Science in Phnom Penh in 1992 and worked as a physician at the emergency department of the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Hospital until 1996 , when he decided to specialise in oncology .

This led him to undertake an oncology residency at the Ho Chi Minh City Cancer Centre in Vietnam , followed by a radiation therapy residency in Strasbourg , France in 2000 before returning home to build a cancer treatment system in the Kingdom ’ s public hospitals .

Considered the father of Cambodian oncology , he created Orange in 2021 , leaving the public sector to focus on setting the highest standards of excellence .

“ We are honoured to have been recognised as the ‘ Oncology Service Provider of the Year ’ by Global Health Asia-Pacific magazine , as Orange puts Cambodian cancer treatment on par with its ASEAN neighbours , having invested millions of dollars in the latest cutting-edge equipment , with highly trained , caring staff ,” Dr Sokha said .

Some 90 per cent of cancer patients require some form of radiotherapy , which kills cancer cells and shrinks tumours .

“ We have the best and most advanced technology , with the latest machines from Europe that can scan tumours in the highest detail . Our highly skilled specialists accurately plan and carry out accurate 3D contouring to minimise the risk to our patients , ensuring the therapy goes only to the tumour and not to healthy cells ,” he said .

Cancer is becoming one of the main causes of death in Cambodia , with an estimated 15,000 cases a year in a population of 15 million , as of 2017 . “ With precision imagery and targeted therapy , our specialists are leading the way , with other hospitals coming to us for training . We are very proud to say that we have all that is needed in this field , allowing us to be fully independent .

“ All along my journey in medicine , I have wanted to repay in kind what I received over the years . Now it is our turn to support others and offer fellowships and training ,” Professor Sokha said .

82 JULY 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com