AKP Phnom Penh, February 08, 2026 --

A new humanitarian project to provide free pediatric heart surgery for Cambodian children with congenital heart disease was launched on Sunday at the National Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh.

First Lady Lok Chumteav Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet presided over the launching ceremony for the initiative, which is being implemented through a partnership between the National Pediatric Hospital and the Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America (CHPAA).

The programme will deliver lifesaving cardiac operations at no cost to patients and seeks to improve the health and survival of children born with heart defects, organisers said.

In addition to surgeries, the project includes capacity-building measures such as skills exchanges between Cambodian and U.S. medical teams, technical support for surgical equipment and ongoing professional mentorship.

In her remarks, Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet welcomed the launch and urged doctors, nurses and hospital staff to continue strengthening their professional skills and ethical standards in treating young patients. 

She thanked medical personnel for their commitment to improving children’s health and future, referring to children as the “bamboo shoots” of the nation.

She also voiced hope for the programme’s smooth and successful implementation.

H.E. Nhep Angkear Bos, Director of the National Pediatric Hospital, said the facility was established in 1974 and resumed operations in 1980 after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, developing gradually into a modern hospital.

The hospital now has 21 departments and 400 beds, and recorded about 244,752 outpatient consultations and 35,387 inpatient cases in 2025, he said.

Cambodia’s health sector has been undergoing continued strengthening and expansion under national reforms, with the National Pediatric Hospital working to improve service quality and broaden access to care.

By K. Rithy Reak