Interview with Prof. Yay Chantana

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 close contact and lively exchange with the head physicians. Every morning we – Andrin, Rebecca and Simeon – are warmly welcomed. We take a seat in the chairs reserved especially for us and chat with them until the morning conference begins. We really appreciate this approachability and helpfulness. In this article, we would like to introduce our readers to the fascinating personality of Prof. Dr. Yay Chantana.

Professor Chantana, you are the direct medical successor to Dr. Beat Richner at Jayavarman VII Hospital in Siem Reap. Can you briefly introduce yourself?

I am a professor of pediatrics and have been working at Kantha Bopha Hospitals since 1992. Since the death of Dr. Beat Richner, I have been the hospital director in Siem Reap

As a hospital director, your schedule must be pretty packed. What does your daily routine at the hospital look like?

My day usually starts early—I wake up at 4:00 a.m. and exercise. At 6:20 a.m., I arrive at the hospital, where I first meet with the night shift supervisors. They inform me about emergencies, serious cases, and any special incidents that occurred during the night. We have a 24-hour hotline that they can use to reach me at any time during the night so that critical patients can be treated quickly and efficiently. Our first official meeting begins at 7:15 a.m., followed by rounds. After the clinical rounds, I often attend various conferences. On Mondays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., there is a “leadership meeting” attended by the Minister of Health and directors of other hospitals from all over Cambodia. At these meetings, we not only report on the state of our hospital, but also receive nationwide updates on current health challenges. The next day, I inform our hospital staff about the contents of the meeting and implement the necessary measures. In addition to these tasks, two important meetings take place twice a month – one for management training and one as a large hospital-wide conference. Tomorrow, for example, I will attend the IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) conference in Siem Reap, which is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. There, we will discuss new health protocols, for example in relation to bird flu or COVID-19, and how these can be effectively communicated to the public.

In addition to clinical supervision, I am also responsible for the hospital's infrastructure, hygiene standards, and the organization of nursing staff. I work closely with the senior nursing team, the IPC working group, and the hospital's internal control system. I monitor medication stocks on a daily basis, coordinate repairs of important equipment such as MRI and CT scanners, and ensure that we respond quickly to internal feedback and operational issues. I am also actively involved in research projects and teach medical students at the university in Phnom Penh. Furthermore, I work with international partners, especially doctors from Switzerland, to further develop the capacities of our hospital. For example, we are currently looking into introducing pediatric hemodialysis, a service that is not yet available at our hospital. There are many medical specialties that we would like to develop together with our international colleagues.

That sounds like a huge commitment on your part. What are the challenges you face on a daily basis?

We currently employ 1,370 staff and care for around 1,300 inpatients – with only 1,129 beds available. This means that not everyone can be given a bed. I am responsible for ensuring that everyone receives the best possible care and that everyone is satisfied in the end. In the age of social media, a dissatisfied post can quickly trigger a major shitstorm – with potential consequences for the hospital's reputation and funding. That's why we actively ask parents about their satisfaction using QR codes. This year, 92 percent of the parents surveyed were satisfied with the treatment.

We try to retain our employees through open and approachable management. We pay good wages, but in return we require that no secondary employment be pursued – this way we avoid conflicts of interest. Despite the high workload, Kantha Bopha Hospital remains a highly sought-after employer in Cambodia's healthcare sector. This is not least because we invest heavily in training and continuing education. I am particularly grateful to our dedicated staff – because it is only through their commitment that we are able to treat all patients around the clock free of charge.

Let's go back a few years: How did you start your career as a doctor and how has it developed over the years?

Thanks to my acquaintance with Dr. Beat Richner, I was able to start working as a doctor in 1992, two years before completing my medical studies. This allowed me to gain valuable practical experience at an early stage. From simple primary care in the early 1990s to complex heart surgery, which we have been able to perform since 2011, we have made enormous progress in a short period of time.

I have been very fortunate to learn from specialists from Switzerland and around the world, which has given me a sound overview of many medical fields that I still draw on today. And I continue to learn new things every day. The greatest advances of the last eight years have been the establishment of the intensive care unit with automatic ventilators and the opening of the oncology department in May of this year.

So you have helped shape the hospital's success story since its inception. What role did you play in the establishment and development of Kantha Bopha Hospital?

After the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror from 1975 to 1979 and the uncertain years that followed, there was virtually no medical care left in Cambodia. The basic structures for a functioning healthcare system first had to be rebuilt. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Beat Richner through my father, which enabled me to be involved in the reconstruction of Kantha Bopha Hospital from the very beginning. The reconstruction began in Phnom Penh and was extended to Siem Reap in 1999. From the outset, I actively helped shape the development and direction of the hospital as co-director alongside Dr. Beat Richner. The hospitals have grown steadily ever since. We have consistently pushed ahead with the expansion and continuous improvement of medical care with Dr. Beat Richner and our ever-growing team.

A significant turning point was Dr. Beat Richner's illness in 2017 – both personally and institutionally. During this difficult time, the support of Dr. Peter Studer and the Kantha Bopha Foundation in Switzerland was a great help. We had to ensure financing and medical care even without the charisma of Dr. Beat Richner. The task of running the hospital was a great challenge, especially after his death. Today, I am proud that we are able to provide medical care to around 80 percent of all children in Cambodia at the Kantha Bopha hospitals – and continue to do so free of charge. This is also made possible by tapping into new sources of income to secure funding.

So you worked with Dr. Beat Richner from the beginning of your medical career. What was your relationship with him like, and what did you learn from him?

Dr. Beat Richner made everything we see here possible, and we learned a great deal from him. Many people revere him almost like a god. Dr. Beat Richner was a very generous and consistent person—he was always at work and hardly ever took a day off to visit a temple, national park, or mountain. Every Saturday, he played concerts on his cello in our hospital's conference room to raise funds. He was not only the driving force behind his concerts, but also made daily decisions at the hospital. He was very self-determined and there were never any big discussions – during rounds, it was either yes or no (laughs). Today, I am continuing his legacy as hospital director – albeit with different personal characteristics – and following the same profound philosophy that Dr. Beat Richner created for us.

One of the fundamental principles I learned from Dr. Beat Richner is that of zero tolerance for conflicts of interest. All employees of all Kantha Bopha hospitals work exclusively here – they are not allowed to work for any other company. In my opinion, this incorruptibility is the fundamental quality of our hospital and the key element of our success. A second important element that Dr. Beat Richner taught us and that we have cultivated in our hospital ever since is the principle of rapid response for every patient: we do not leave anyone waiting without having examined them adequately and treated them to the best of our ability. This approach ensures the high level of patient satisfaction I mentioned earlier. Together with the extremely collegial relationships and friendly interactions we cultivate between all employees, patients, and relatives, these are the cornerstones of successful collaboration in our hospital.

The history and mission of the Kantha Bopha hospitals are deeply rooted in Switzerland. What do you think about the foundation and Swiss financial aid?

We rely heavily on the foundation and the generous support of Swiss donors to keep our hospitals running. The foundation also enables Swiss students to come to us, learn in our hospitals, and participate in our mission—including helping with fundraising events. By experiencing our work on the ground, you can share your experiences with the Swiss public. When you have seen it with your own eyes, the message becomes all the more powerful – and that is a great help in fundraising. We are very proud and deeply grateful for the ongoing support and trust of Swiss donors.

You mentioned Swiss students. What do you think about the work of Swiss students in your hospital?

I am very grateful to the Swiss students who come to us to work and learn. Cambodian students, doctors, and nurses are always willing to share their knowledge—we have no conflicts of interest, and it is precisely this openness that promotes very positive and cooperative collaboration. We place great value on solidarity with the students and want to create a supportive and friendly environment at all levels of our hospital – from management to students. It is important to us that everyone feels welcome and valued.

Passing on knowledge to the younger generation is a central responsibility for us. Time passes quickly, and if we do not pass on our knowledge, it will be lost. Personally, I feel great gratitude towards those who came before me – especially Dr. Beat Richner and Dr. Peter Studer – and who taught and inspired me. Now it is time to give something back and do the same for others.

You have been closely involved every day for three decades. How do you see the future of Kantha Bopha?

We have a young generation that is ready to continue the work of the hospital. However, it is uncertain how the financial situation will develop in the future. We currently receive support from the government, and a good 50 to 60 percent of our funding comes from Switzerland. This support is crucial for the hospital's operation and for ensuring that treatment can remain free of charge. I cannot say what impact a change in the financing structure would have, meaning that patients would have to pay for their own treatment – that depends entirely on how much donations we receive in the future. Our future is closely linked to political and financial support.

However, our work has a major impact on the population, and I believe that the government will continue to support us. Dr. Beat Richner's philosophy was to provide free medical care to children up to the age of 15, as they are not yet able to care for themselves at that age. This is exactly what we want to continue doing as best we can. The government has already introduced a social insurance fund that currently benefits adult patients in Cambodia. There is hope that this system will be extended to pediatric patients in the future.

We have come to the end of our interview. What message would you like to convey to the Swiss people who will be reading this interview?

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Swiss donors who support our Kantha Bopha hospitals. On behalf of myself and the Cambodian people, I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their continued generosity towards the children's hospitals. Their support makes a lasting difference in the lives of countless children. Thank you very much.

We are very grateful to have met Professor Chantana and appreciate his time and willingness to share his knowledge and experience with us. At the same time, we are very impressed by his enormous commitment to the welfare of Cambodian children. Arkoun, Professor Chantana.

Best regards from Siem Reap

Rebecca, Andrin and Simeon