Dr. Beat Richner: Forever close to his remarkable humanitarian legacy

The ashes of Dr. Beat Richner, who passed away on September 9th in his hometown of Zurich, will be kept in a stupa facing the Jayavarman VII Children’s Hospital, located in Siem Reap province. Revered by many Cambodians as a living god, Dr. Richner's ashes were transported to Siem Reap on Wednesday, December 5th, in a procession accompanied by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sam Ol. A memorial ceremony was held the following day in honor of the doctor, attended by King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath.

(The surroundings of Jayavarman VII Children’s Hospital ©AKP)

A revolution in healthcare access

Dr. Beat Richner first arrived in Cambodia in 1992, at the request of King Norodom Sihanouk, to rebuild the pediatric hospital in Phnom Penh, which had been destroyed during the Khmer Rouge regime. What was intended as a temporary mission turned into a 25-year commitment. During that time, the Swiss physician established five pediatric hospitals in the capital and in Siem Reap province, introducing the principles of free and universal access to medical care.

The Jayavarman VII Children's Hospital, inaugurated in 1999, now treats 3,000 children per day on an outpatient basis, and houses 1,400 inpatient beds. The facility has helped save tens of thousands of lives. The five pediatric centers envisioned by Dr. Richner are jointly funded by the Cambodian and Swiss governments, as well as by numerous private donors — both local and international.