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Diogo will be joining our team in Cambodia in March 2026. The medical student will be working at our children's hospital in Siem Reap for two months. Here he introduces himself. Diogo Pinheiro Zimmermann, 26, Dietikon ZH In secondary school, I decided that I wanted to study medicine. I was inspired above all by role models: four doctors in particular influenced my decision—because when I watched them, I knew that I wanted to work as a doctor one day. They were: Dr. Konrad Gri

During the eight weeks we spent in Siem Reap as medical students, we laughed, cried, learned, and above all understood what a tremendous legacy Beat Richner and Peter Studer have left behind here. No matter where we went or who we spoke to, the hospitals named after the late Princess Kantha Bopha are firmly anchored in the consciousness of the population. I was deeply impressed by the openness with which we were welcomed and the profound gratitude shown to us on behalf of the

The video takes you on a tour of one of our hospitals. The history of the Kantha Bopha hospitals is an impressive chapter in humanitarian aid. In 1992, Swiss pediatricians Beat Richner (1947-2018) and his colleague Peter Studer (1947-2020) rebuilt the hospital in Phnom Penh at the request of the king, which had been reduced to rubble after the war. In 1999, the Jayavarman VII Hospital opened its doors in the north of the country. Today, we care for around 3,000 children every

They care for sick or injured children and their families, ensure the medical quality of the hospitals, serve as contact persons for the staff, and manage the enormous daily influx. Professor Dr. med. Ky Santy is the hospital director in Phnom Penh, Professor Dr. med. Yay Chantana his counterpart in Siem Reap. We speak with both about the everyday challenges, support from Switzerland, and remember the two founders, Beat Richner and Peter Studer. The heads of our hospitals:

We look back on the past year with gratitude and pride. Our five children's hospitals were very busy – as the figures confirm: 1,071,637 girls, boys, and babies sought medical assistance from us in 2025. Significantly more children than in the previous year were so seriously ill or injured that we had to admit them as inpatients – 233,243 (up 25.6 percent). We recorded 22,982 cases of dengue fever, 34,889 surgical procedures, and 1,163 open-heart or cardiac catheterization o

It should have been a normal day. Yeng Sary was out in the family's rice fields with her daughter Dy Chhengly to start harvesting. But then the six-year-old climbed a tree, slipped, and fell to the ground. Her mother knew immediately that something was wrong with her daughter's arm. It swelled up more and more, and Chhengly complained of pain. So the two immediately made their way to our children's hospital in Siem Reap. There, the team diagnosed a fracture of the forearm. Th

This year started differently than usual for me. Instead of sitting in cold Switzerland, I am now here in Siem Reap, a small, often underestimated town. From the very first moment, I felt how lively this city is and how open and warm the people here are. A friend of mine had recommended that I spend part of my elective study year at Kantha Bopha in Siem Reap—he himself was very enthusiastic about his stay there. So I came here with high expectations. Nevertheless, the hospita

It has now been a few weeks since I returned to Switzerland after my assignment for the Beat Richner Foundation. Cambodia as a country and its healthcare system have left an impression on me that will stay with me for a long time to come. The combination of heat, humidity, and noise creates a constant background noise every day. Machines, patients, parents, the team—everything sounds at once. Even after several days, it feels as if my senses are still overwhelmed: on the left

Maternity ward at Jayavarman VII Hospital « Each birth adds to the beauty of the world. » This saying is nowhere more true than at Kantha Bopha Hospital in Siem Reap, with more than 50 births per day, sometimes reaching 80 or even a record of 115 since the hospital opened, and with a caesarean section rate of around 20%. Let us now take a tour of the Jayavarman VII maternity ward.   Expanded and improved last year according to the plans of the hospital's director, Denis Laure

Starting in January 2026, the three medical students will be joining our team in Cambodia. They will be working for two months at our children's hospital and maternity ward in Siem Reap. Here they introduce themselves. Bjarne von Götz, 23, Zurich I decided to study medicine because of my interest in science and because I enjoy working with people. A nursing internship then cemented my interest. During my junior year, I would like to see other healthcare systems and circumsta

Two examples of how endoscopy saves lives at Kantha Bopha. During the week of 10-14 November 2025, a Swiss mission led by four physicians and two nurses from the KiSpi took place at Kantha Bopha. Several topics, focused on the concrete needs of sick children and newborns, were addressed: intensive care, infectious diseases, nephrology, and gastroenterology. It is this last field that will be the focus of this article. Here, we present two diseases for which the use of endosco

During our time as students in Cambodia, we were able to gain countless experiences in the pediatric intensive care units, the maternity ward, and also in surgery. Of course, there are many other wards in this hospital, and I would like to tell you a little more about one of them. As of November, the oncology ward in Siem Reap is the hospital's newest department. It was officially opened on May 2 this year. The first patients were admitted to one of the 24 available beds at t

This one question has burrowed deep into her heart: “Why did my son get cancer?” Mao Ngogun blames herself—because such an innocent little creature cannot suddenly suffer so much without reason. What did she do wrong? Was the food she gave her child bad? “At first, I lost all hope and cried a lot,” she says, putting her arms around the boy sitting next to her on the hospital bed. The first signs that something was wrong appeared a few months earlier. Two-year-old Chivorn Sere

With a suitcase filled to the brim and barely complying with the airline's strict rules, I made my way to the airport with a heavy heart. It was a hasty farewell to a time that I had lived so intensely. I don't want to forget any of it: the rattling tuk-tuk rides, the sunsets captured over ancient temples, the rain showers, the friendships that formed quietly and grew stronger than expected. The first surgical knots that my hands tied hesitantly at first, then more confidentl

Cambodian-style hospitality. The two months I spent at Kantha Bopha Hospital were an extremely formative and enriching time for me, which I will look back on with great gratitude. From the very beginning, we were welcomed with remarkable openness, which made it extremely easy for me to settle in. The atmosphere towards us Swiss medical students was warm, uncomplicated, and often accompanied by humor. This made many situations that could quickly become stressful in everyday cl

Pierre will be joining our team in Cambodia in November 2025. The medical student will be working at our children's hospital in Siem Reap for two months. Here he introduces himself. Pierre Roux, 25, Grimisuat VS After high school and during my community service, I decided to study medicine. I wanted to help other people and at the same time complete a scientific degree. Since high school had given me the experience of knowledge and community service had given me the experie

Dr. Bunthong (right) with his team, whom I had the privilege of following for a week. Incubators, the constant beeping of monitors, and the smallest babies you have ever seen – these are the first impressions when you enter the neonatal intensive care unit in Siem Reap. Here, day after day, tireless efforts are made to ensure the survival and recovery of newborns and premature babies. The diseases and medical problems remain essentially the same as in Switzerland: infection p

«When life hurts – Siem Reap heals.» A saying we often heard from hospital staff and proud residents of this special city. For two months, I had the privilege of witnessing how the team at Kantha Bopha Hospital works every day to ensure that a stay in Siem Reap can truly heal, in the truest sense of the word. For this, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the directors, doctors, nurses, midwives, and all the staff at the hospital and the Kantha Bopha Children's Hosp

I traveled to the small town of many temples in September, at a very special time of year. It is the rainy season, thick clouds hang in...

Jason will be joining our team in Cambodia in October 2025. The medical student will be working at our children's hospital in Siem Reap...

My first few days at Kantha Bopha Hospital were full of new impressions: a different language, a new work rhythm, and a hospital routine...

Meet the manager of our pharmacies and learn how we prevent the illegal trade of our medicines.

Midwife in Siem Reap

Little Eath Monirath tries to be brave. It's time to change her bandages, and the 6-year-old knows that this will be very painful. Her...

There is a small consultation room here which, unlike the other rooms in the clinic, is decorated with colorful carpets, toys, and...

Devanshi and Jan will be joining our team in Cambodia in September 2025. The two medical students will be working for two months at our...

It's been a few weeks, since my time in Cambodia came to an end. It was a wonderful and enriching experience, just as impressive as it...

Marah will be joining our team in Cambodia in August 2025. The medical student will be working at our children's hospital in Siem Reap...

It is currently the rainy season in Cambodia, which brings with it lush greenery and frequent showers, but unfortunately also the peak...

For us Swiss students – Andrin and Simeon – our time at the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital has already come to an end. These two months...

Elodie and Lars will be joining our team in Cambodia in July 2025. The two medical students will be working for two months at our...

We make many new acquaintances every day at Kantha Bopha Hospital in Siem Reap. One of the most valuable things for all of us is the...

Rebecca will be joining our team in Cambodia from June 2025. The medical student will be working in our children's hospital in Siem Reap...

Narong San After a long journey, we - the new group of Swiss students - arrived safely in Siem Reap towards the end of April and have...

Co-Head of the cleaning team in Phnom Penh

Insight into our cardiac catheterisation laboratory in Siem Reap, where team leader Sereng Limheng explains a procedure to us.

In the maternity ward - where mothers and their babies are allowed to recover for 24 hours after giving birth - staff set up a few rows...

There is a lot to do in the fields during the rice harvest, so every helping hand is welcome. Sea Soksopheath marched side by side with...

Daring aerial artistry, dancing fireworks, perfect illusions - and the latest news from our five children's hospitals in Cambodia. On 13...

Time has passed quickly! We have experienced and learnt a lot since our arrival in Siem Reap. We were warmly welcomed by everyone at...

Andrin and Simeon will be joining our team in Cambodia from May 2025. The two medical students will be working for two months in our...

On our very first day here at the hospital, we were given a guided tour. We noticed that certain diseases such as dengue fever, HIV and...

Arkun cheeran means «thank you very much» in Khmer, and if I have to think of something to say to end these two wonderful months in...

We have arrived well in Siem Reap and have already experienced a lot in our first few weeks. The care is great, and our interests are...

Blood is a vital resource for saving lives, and the ability to perform safe transfusions can make the difference between life and death...

When I heard about this job, I knew immediately that I had to take it. It was exactly the kind of experience that others always talk...

Sophie and Samuel will be joining our team in Cambodia from March 2025. The two medical students will be working for two months in our...

On Monday afternoon, Menglis, a 5-year-old boy, is brought to the pediatric intensive care unit by his father, who is visibly worried...

Employees tell us what our hospitals mean to them.

Many children in Cambodia are born at home, some in local health centres or regional hospitals. When complications arise, the mothers and...