A woman will receive $7,000 in compensation from government officials and advisers after discovering that doctors in a state-run Kampong Cham hospital accidentally left a small towel in her abdomen during her C-section.
Kun Sotheara, the director of the Kampong Cham Health Department, confirmed that the woman from Kong Meas district had given birth to a boy via C-section at the provincial referral hospital in October.
After suffering from severe stomach pains, she travelled to a private clinic in Phnom Penh in January to have follow-up surgery, during which doctors made the shocking discovery, according to Sotheara
Sotheara said that he had forwarded a report about the flawed procedure to his superiors and that the surgeon would be punished “based on his actions”.
“The victim’s family did not file a complaint or anything, they just suggested that the doctor be more careful while working,” Sotheara said.
The woman, Dim Sreymum, checked in at Calmette Hospital yesterday for further testing. Sreymum’s family declined to speak, and said only they were waiting for test results.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Kampong Cham administrative office said the provincial Health Department agreed to pay $5,000 in compensation to the family and provincial Deputy Governor Kuoch Chamroeun contributed another $1,250. Bun Rany, the wife of Prime Minister Hun Sen and head of the Cambodian Red Cross, agreed to cover Sreymum’s medical costs, according to the statement.
Pro-government media outlet FreshNews also posted pictures of Has Vary, an adviser to the premier, visiting Sreymum at Calmette Hospital yesterday and giving her $750.
