New Siem Reap drug treatment centre to meet ‘int’l standards’
CAMBODIA will soon have an international standard drug treatment centre in Siem Reap province, thanks to the support of the governments of Switzerland and Italy. They have allocated $3.2 million to the project – which will begin construction early next year – according to Thol Toma, first secretary of the Swiss embassy in Kathmandu.
Toma, a Cambodian national, told The Post that although he is working under the Swiss government, it was chiefly an EU project.
“We have received this project from the EU, with the full support of Italy. Switzerland, although not EU members, have agreed to contribute – especially with some technical aspects of the centre. I have donated the land for the project myself,” he said.
He said the centre will be the first in the Kingdom to provide modern detoxification treatment to addicts, adding that in the future he expects patients from all around the region to seek treatment here.
Toma said further consultations would be carried out in the future, at which point he would submit a report for the government to review. In the future, management of the facility will be passed to Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.
He added that the first phase will be built on an area of nearly 3,000sqm, but would be expanded in the future with the budget for the
expansion estimated at $12 million.
“I have been working on securing this project for three years, and only received approval in early 2021,” he said.
He said delegates from the EU and Switzerland visited the proposed construction site in Siem Reap last week.
Touch Channy, spokesman for the social affairs ministry, welcomed
the project, saying the ministry is ready to cooperate.
“Currently, the Kingdom has 13 centres for drug treatment and rehabilitation, including six state-owned and seven private clinics,” he said.
He added that the National Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts at
Keo Phos in Preah Sihanouk province was officially inaugurated on March 22 under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the National Authority for Combating Drugs Ke Kim Yan.
Alongside the Ministry of Health, the social affairs ministry has prepared an inter-ministerial prakas on guidelines for the establishment drug treatment facilities.