Phak Seangly, May Titthara and Joe Freeman

Phnom Penh Post 

As an unlicensed doctor sits in pre-trial detention on charges of murder and infecting his patients with HIV in Battambang province, the Ministry of Health is drafting a letter to provincial authorities nationwide, urging them to crack down on illegal medical practices immediately, according to a senior official.
The new directive comes on the heels of a similar notice to provincial health departments on December 18, mere days after it emerged that some 70 people in Battambang’s Sangke district had been infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The infecti

Community members wait for their names to be called outside of a clinic in Battambang’s Sangke district as a medical worker distributes result sheets from HIV tests earlier this month. Heng Chivoan

on count has since soared well past 100, with most affected living in Roka commune. New figures were unavailable yesterday.
“It is the same topic, but the second one will be sent directly to the capital-provincial halls to take an urgent action against [unlicensed health services],” said Sok Srun, director of the medical department at the Ministry of Health. “We are drafting it and it needs checking.”
“We will also take immediate measures when we get any information or problems from the provinces,” he added.

readmore