To Meet with Medical Teams to Express Royal Government’s Gratitude
Today, we are happy to get together after the first meeting, when there were just over 400 young physicians joining the Covid-19 combat movement. Of course, on February 19 (2022), we had scheduled to meet again, and like the meeting with Mention-A students, because the Omicron outbreak we had to temporarily pause and waited for the right time. We have already said that it is better to meet late than not to meet at all. We have moved the schedule from February 19th to May 17th.
This is the time when we continue to work together to fight Covid-19 and also reduce the transmission rate of Covid-19 to zero, according to PCR machine tests. Today we meet, starting only with TYDA, which is an acronym that I called it after everyone else […] or the Samdech Techo Youth Voluntary Doctors Association. At first, I thought TYDA was the name of my granddaughter, because my first granddaughter, Srey Pich, has an official name Thida […]
We need to have more meetings. We learned that there are still teams of doctors of Samdech Tea Banh, Samdech Say Chhum, (His Excellency) Hun Many, as well as a few other doctors’ teams and they would like to have similar meeting, […] please check, if possible, we can meet with our state doctors as well by bringing them to meeting in Phnom Penh and Kandal province. We also have to divide them for two or three meetings, because (doctors) cannot leave their wards unattended […] so that I will have the opportunity to express to them my gratitude on behalf of the Royal Government.
As you may all remember, on March 18, 2020, I made a call to create a team of voluntary doctors to fight this shadowless enemy (pandemic). It is not easy to recruit young people who are the children or the beloved husband or wife of their spouses or of the beloved parents to such a course of fighting a war against invisible enemy. With patriotism and love for the people, however, our youth volunteered to take an active part in the anti-Covid-19 movement.
Always with Scenarios Ready to Respond to What May Come/Happen
At the time I was calling, there were not many Covid-19s in our country yet. By now you all know that it is not a coincidence that we succeeded overcoming the disaster of Covid-19. That can be a signal on the fact that Hun Sen has never lacked scenarios (ready to respond to) many possible happenings. Of course, at that time we had enough emergency response teams, but if I do not create this youth action that is ready to contribute, as the situation escalated on February 20, 2021, how could we respond. All of our teams of doctors are committed to not only working against Covid-19, but are doing separate works, including treating all kinds of surgeries.
We need to have doctors providing treatment to other diseases, not just the fight against Covid-19. At this point one can understand the thinking of this Prime Minister (who) has always been prepared in this way, not just on the Covid-19 issue. Even the medical equipment, which is under the control of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health has to prepare a strategic reserve for me. They can be accessible only with an order from me. The Ministry of National Defense too has to prepare me a strategic reserve of certain weapons/bullets that they can access them only if there is an order from me. Even Covid-19 rapid test device has to have a strategic reserve for me. Whenever there is a problem, we must release immediately […]
TYDA Activities Proved Preparing Voluntary Doctors Worth It
In the same case, the provision of a (youth) reserve to join the fight against Covid-19 is not a risky idea. Some people may think that this creation is just a waste of money. At that time, I would take care of their salary and stipends for only 100 days. After that, they will survive on state budget. When going out, there are also fees. So far, if we look at the activities of the volunteer doctors involved in the fight against Covid-19, it can be considered as a proper preparation […]
I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the efforts of all TYDA leaders […] I thank all the volunteer doctors, among them, some have graduated, but some are still in their studies […] but volunteered to help save the lives of Cambodians in times of difficulty. I am really proud of all these efforts […]
Heroism in Fight against Covid 19 Changed View on Doctors
All of this points to TYDA’s involvement, and what is even better is that all of the volunteer doctors, as well as all of the state’s physicians involved (in combat) against Covid-19 has changed the views of Cambodians across the country, who previously might have criticized them. It was later that this groups of doctors have been nicknamed as the white gown army, who fought to save lives. At this point, the Ministry of Health must continue in its efforts to maintain this good reputation in the future […] I am very proud of all the activities that we have embraced, using the combined forces, total means, total strength to do this important work. This doctor story is different from the education sector. In the field of education, we have said from the beginning that those who know more teach those who know less, those who know less teach those who do not know. We can do it in education, but in health we cannot […]
Win the Battle of Delta Alpha Omicron, Not Yet Covid-19 and Other Variants
I repeat, the health sector cannot follow the education sector […] it is true that some of you have not yet graduated, but you have been trained to take samples of these things. On the other hand, my principle is that from the beginning, without full self-defense equipment (personal protective gear – PPE), I would not let them to go out for the job as it will lead to danger for our medical team. Since the beginning, I had to make sure there are sufficient PPE for our teams of doctors. We do not allow cases of lacking medical masks as in some developed countries to happen. Now the material is still in stock while we have not yet finished the fight against Covid-19. We have just won the battle, but have not won the whole war. We won the Battle of Delta, Alpha, and Omicron, but the entire Covid-19 pandemic is not over and it is not yet known would there be any more variants out there.
To Continue Quarantines Unvaccinated Visitors
This evening, I decided on some principles for the sake of implementation because the committee convened (a meeting). I also attached the recording. There is now a new type of hepatitis. It has not yet arrived in our country, but it may come at any time. I should have said it now. (The Minister of Tourism) HE Thong Khon request that we should waive the quarantines for those visitors who have not had vaccination on ground that Vietnam is ready to do (that) and Thailand is ready to do (that). I have sent that message to (Deputy Prime Minister) His Excellency Aun Porn Moniroth, (Minister) His Excellency Mam Bun Heng, Lok Chumteav Yok Sambath, Lok Chumteav O Vandin to study. For me, I do not agree, no matter our specialists would say. Because of what?
While we are urging people to get vaccinated, doing that is to waive quarantnes for unvaccinated visitor, which we already reduced from 14 days to 7 days. (If we waive quarantines,) who would want to be vaccinated? In addition, it has an impact on countries that are promoting vaccinations, giving opposition groups a chance to come to Cambodia. So, I would like to announce it […] Do not follow what other people do. Let them collect those unvaccinated visitors to their countries. For Cambodia, we only receive vaccinated ones and if you have not been vaccinated, we have to quarantine you for 7 days […]
There are two points to analyze. Firstly, we are accelerating the vaccination, which I now shorten the time (between vaccinations) on request to three months, in which we have included between three and four million students in the priority groups to receive the fourth dose and may advance to the fifth dose. It is possible that there is no need to have such a meeting of the commission, because why the meeting when the Prime Minister does not agree with it. I called to discuss with (His Excellency) Aun Porn Moniroth, and I do not feel comfortable with the idea […] please do not see money as big issue. Please take life as the big issue. I cannot let this (improved) situation to go backwards […]
Weak Health System, Leaders Work with and Get People Involved
Finally, look at the statistics, the poorest countries in the world and countries in Africa, there were less infection. The other day, talking with former Rwandan Foreign Minister, who is now Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), I asked her why there were not many Covid-19 infections in poor African countries. “Because our health system is so weak, the choice of the leaders of those countries was to work with the people to get them involved,” she said. Our case is the same. Due to the weak health care system, our only option is to work with the people. Fortunately for us, the people participated […]
Four Phases of the Battle against Covid-19
We can characterize our fight against Covid-19 pandemic into four phases from the start. I make a note here so that we can understand, and the next day, writers on the issue – Chhay Sophal and Pov Sok, should jot them down clearly […] we have gone through four stages to get to this point. Firstly, we fight and prevent community-based infections from March 2020 to February 2021 […]; Secondly, control the spread of Covid-19 into the community from November 2020 to 20 February 2021 […]; Thirdly, build community immunity through the Implementation of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy, combined with the continued control of Covid-19 transmission into the community from 20 February 2021. By the end of October 2021, we are now in the fourth phase of a full national re-opening in all areas and living with Covid-19 in a new normal way […]
52 M Doses Received, 42 871 536 Doses Used, 9,963,854 Doses in Stock
In terms of vaccinations, as a poor country, with this many people vaccinated, it is not normal […] I should mention what is the pride of Cambodia. We have received 52 million doses of vaccines altogether, of which Cambodia spent its own money to buy 28,500,000 doses – a larger share than aid from all countries. This country is poor, but we do not let people to lack the medicine that we can buy […] while it is not certain, in those days, that even with money one could buy it. There are many countries in the region that lacked vaccines even they have money. The reason is easy to understand, one must know how to communicate to find a vaccine.
We still have 20,550,000 doses yet to deliver, of which 15,000,000 does from China, 7,500,000 doses from the US, 2,000,000 doses already delivered, 5,500,000 more to come. Indeed, while sitting across from him, I thanked President Joe Biden for vaccines and he said there is more to come […] and we still have countries that are contacting us. But I can say that we are not going to be short of vaccine. Now that there are 9 million left in the warehouse, we must work out a speedy vaccination plan, while the remaining share from the US will likely be giving us by September. Another bulk will come in July. By September, the US donation will complete. As for China, we can review the schedule. Although the Chinese vaccine can be in stockpile for two years, but it is better to push date of arrival to the end of the year […] reserve our strategic stock in China.
Domestic Vaccine Production – If Private Sector Does Not Do, State Will
At the same time, we need to work to boost (local vaccine production). Who gets this right? The Chinese side urged us why Cambodia did not answer. Now look at the Cambodian private sector, which has been granted the right, whether it does or does not do it? If not, hand it over to someone else […] now I would like a progress report once a week on this vaccine factory thing […] how many months passed already since we have come into agreement with China […] if that does not happen, take it back. What if the Ministry does it? We have capital. There is no problem. I will release from the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the state will produce in partnership with the Chinese side. If the private sector is too difficult to get a license and the state comes out to produce vaccines […] but the question is when will Covid-19 end? Besides producing vaccines for this type of pandemic disease, we will be able to produce other types of vaccines in the future […] let us be clear together regarding the life of the people […]
Some of us suggested to me that the first dose and the second dose are provided for free. Now that we are providing the booster dose – the third dose, we should charge. I said, “No, you cannot become rich from that.” Those vaccines – either acquired by our national budget or donations – must be provided for inoculation to our people for free of charge and with no discrimination on the basis of politics, race, religion, urban or rural areas. It will successfully build community immunity from urban to rural, and build the trust of donors […]
Hluang Mae Hospital to Be Cancer Hospital
Of course, we cannot talk about every issues (in one day), as it would need a conference on the vaccination campaign on the Covid-19 campaign […] in which we could talk to each other. Today, we are talking to a group of doctors who I think all of you have now learned and gained experience, […] we have now returned the Koh Pich Exhibition Centre, The Premium Sen Sok Center to their owners, and the Luang Mae Hospital has become a public hospital, but only TYDA to manage for a while. HE Mam Bunheng can help figure out the future of Luang Mae Hospital to become a hospital for cancer. There are more cancer patients. Some are at this stage and some are at that stage. We must have a place […] let us prepare (the hospital) because we do not put Covid-19 patients there anymore […]
Build a Hospital with a Capacity of 10,000 Beds for Infectious Diseases
Along with Covid-19, we also need to consider other diseases, so we should work to equip the hospital to be a treatment for cancer. We recruit specialists to work in the hospital. Although the spread of Covid-19 has slowed, we are still working to build a hospital with a capacity of 10,000 beds […] at first, I said to transfer Covid-19 patients to Chak Angre hospital. (Lok Chumteav Yok) Sambath said there are 300 beds available at the Russian hospital (for Covid-19 patients). As for the Olympic Stadium, Samdech Pichey (Sena Tia Banh) can now get it all. Reparation can start for the SEA GAME next year. We are still backing up in case of recurrence of the Covid-19 by construction of a hospital for infectious diseases […] we have to be prepared based on lessons learned this time to build a hospital with 10,000 beds […]
Looking to Future Economic Growth Above 5%, Controllable Inflation
As we are reopening socio-economic process, wea are looking to the future of the economy, which could grow by more than 5%, with controllable inflation and higher state revenues, as only in the first four months, we achieved 53% of the local tax share. We are also concerned about the conflict situation in Ukraine. Russia’s troops into Ukraine is creating uncertainty for us. The IMF is lowering its global growth forecast. Yesterday we received information that India has begun banning the export of wheat. India is a rice exporter. I do not know if India ban rice as well or just wheat? […]
As predicted, 2023 could be the year of the food crisis along with the energy crisis that is already happening (and that) is affecting us. I asked the price of oil in the United States when I met people there, and we could consider the price of oil in the United States is more expensive than in Cambodia. Now European oil prices are even more difficult. If Russia cuts off gas provision, Europe will cut down trees for firewood, because Europe is cooking using gas, where does the gas come from? From Russia […]
Is it a ban on rice as well? Major rice exporting countries are India, Thailand, Vietnam. Cambodia is a small exporter, although it has a surplus of more than 6 million tons of rice, equivalent to nearly 4 million tons of rice, but its export – to Vietnam, to China, to Europe and other countries in ASEAN, we have not yet reached one million tons due to processing capacity […]
TYDA to Help with Vaccination, Change of Birth Date
Now that with the decrease in medical examination and sampling, I think TYDA should be more involved in vaccination. Lok Chumteav O Vandin should arrange for TYDA to do more on the issue of vaccination […] at that time, we were fighting with Covid-19 in many places. Now those who fought are no longer fighting. Therefore, the continuous function should be to help with vaccination to make sure our people have armor […]
There is one thing I should say. After my elder brother passed away, I asked someone to make a resume for a death notification. I noticed that my elder brother had his birthdate wrong. He got his birth year right, though. I remember two profiles very clearly, because […] started to learn French, our teacher at that time liked to ask how old were you? I remember my brother Hun Long Seng – né le 2 Avril 1950, and I – Hun Bonal – né le 5 Août 1952. So, in terms of being born on April 2, he was in the year of Ox, while choosing his birth month to be in November, he was in the year of Tiger, a bad year for him. None in my family has a heart problem.
I was born on August 5, 1952, which is Tuesday, the 15th day of the month of Srap. So, when the court decides, they pass to the registrar and the IDs change in identity card and passport. It must be presented to the King because HM wishes me on my birthday every year […] and announced to people all over the country and make diplomatic notes to let foreigners know about this correction […]
Promoting ASEAN-US Strategic Partnership
Let me talk a little bit about what happened in Washington. This ASEAN-US Meeting can be considered as a historic meeting and the convening of this special meeting is right because it marks the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-US relations. We were able to issue a statement. Negotiations reach a stage of reconciliation and issue a statement. The issuance of that statement is the basis for the relationship that we are promoting the ASEAN-US Strategic Partnership, which will take place later this year. I invited the President of the United States to attend the ASEAN-US Summit in Phnom Penh, while we are working on the establishment of the ASEAN-US Strategic Partnership. I do not know whether he will find it possible to come or not at that time, because we will have a meeting in person […]
Shoe Hurling: If It Is a Freedom of Expression, the Same Could Happen Everywhere
I met with about 2,000 people. Before the meeting, more than 300 people came to the hotel to greet me and I traveled. The ones who hurled (a shoe at) me were considered hero (now by some). I would like to raise this issue to let you know and send a message to the US administration […] immediately, if I let thing go its way, the person who threw the shoe at me could be in danger. Do not forget that in addition to American forces, our forces in this support group can act immediately. But I have ordered them resolutely to stay put. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have to take any action. I received a request from Phnom Penh that three forces were to protest against the US embassy, demanding that the United States resolve this matter. I told to people in Phnom Penh not to do anything […]
I am sending a message with consideration of legal and political aspects. The US side itself is responsible for security issues, and whether such an act, with a clear attempt through interviews about how they followed (me to) Seoul, how to infiltrate […] does the United States consider this a right of expression or violence? Hopefully, the Ambassador in Phnom Penh sends this message entirely to the US administration. If the United States considers this to be a right of expression, perhaps this will happen in every country, including Cambodia. So, all the opposition groups of Hun Sen are prone to shoes hurling.
This is no small matter. Ask the United States to think carefully. If such violence throwing shoes (at someone) is considered a right of expression, there is no law in the world, and in Cambodia there would be no law too. It is known who in Phnom Penh is that group. They also have to prepare that there would be a chance that the shoews come to their heads. This is not a threat but an analysis of the legal aspects connected to politics […]
My other concern is that if this person is convicted, this person will also be involved in the case of being deported from the United States to Cambodia like other prisoners, hundreds of whom are being interviewed. If you come to Cambodia, it is dangerous. We can only protect the person during the day […] I am worried on this point too […]
I do what President George W. Bush did. I do not demand the United States to punish the person, and they should act according to their law. If the United States considers this person’s action by throwing shoes at people was to perform his freedom expression, I just wanted to tell the United States that (if) this thing happens in Cambodia, do not blame Cambodia. I hope the US Ambassador here can hear this opinion, the people in America can hear, the perpetrators can hear, and the interviewers can hear. Televisions should also get the content of this point to broadcast so as not to be misleading […]./.
