Prime Minister Hun Sen has urged more generous people to offer support in a bid to modernize Calmette Hospital to become the country’s premier referral hospital, and to improve health services.

In a post on his Facebook page, the premier said that he has raised about $64 million from charity after his appeal last week to help Calmette Hospital, noting that the government also disbursed $30 million into constructing the 12-storey building at the hospital.

“Until now, generous people have attributed a total of $64,043,561. If we added the $30 million of state budget, there is $94,043,561 so far,” he said. “I would like to thank  those people who have contributed in saving lives.”

Mr Hun Sen said he hopes more generous people will take part in the charity in order to modernize the Calmette Hospital as the Kingom’s referral hospital with modernity and various specialized skills.

Mr Hun Sen has since last week been spending time to take care of his ill mother-in-law at Calmette Hospital, where he discovered a new-found respect for the hospital.

He noted that Calmette and the Ministry of Health are now short of funding for a new 12-storey building and could not afford to purchase equipment to furnish existing buildings.

• Tags: Calmette Hospital, Prime Minister Hun Sen