The Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) is calling for public donations to sustain the free medical services it provides to the Kingdom’s youngest and most vulnerable. The hospital is planning a major fundraising event on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, at Wat Bo pagoda.

According to an AHC press release, the event will be the 12th held since 2013. It will be presided over by Samdech Pin Sem of the Maha Nikaya Order and Chief Monk of Siem Reap town’s Wat Bo pagoda, along with Venerable Chum Kimleng, Chief Monk of Siem Reap province.

AHC director Dr. Nguon Chanpheaktra explained that the hospital requires approximately $6 million annually to operate and treat children, with about 30 per cent of these funds coming from Cambodian donors, including contributions from the annual charity event. He urged the public to donate during the festival or via the hospital’s QR code.

“The funds raised from this festival are crucial for saving the lives of over 100,000 children annually with the high-quality, compassionate care we provide at Angkor Hospital for Children,” he was quoted as saying in the release.

Established in 1999 by a Japanese national, AHC is a non-profit institution. To date, it has provided medical care for approximately 3 million paediatric cases. In addition, it trains hundreds of healthcare professionals, medical students and interns from across Cambodia each year.

The hospital also improves community well-being in Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces through health education, capacity building for health centre staff, village health volunteers, students, teachers and thousands of residents annually, according to the release.