New Surgical Building in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, will bless lives of Babies and Children Needing Surgery

A generous donation by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to build a new pediatric surgical building in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is “a symbol of true, pure, humane love and support” for Cambodia children and families, said His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health for the Kingdom of Cambodia.

At the June 15, 2026, groundbreaking for the new surgical building, on the campus of the National Pediatric Hospital of Cambodia, Minister Chheang thanked Church members and leaders for “saving lives” with this project and many other healthcare projects across the country. He noted how the surgical building will help the Cambodian government meet its healthcare goals.

Elder Benjamin M.Z. Tai, president of the Asia Area of the Church, spoke on behalf of the Church and its members and donors throughout the world.

“In our faith, we believe that children are an heritage from the Lord; our offspring are a reward from him (Psalms 127:3),” Elder Tai said. “Children truly are the treasures of any society for they embody our greatest hopes and aspirations for a better and brighter future.”

Cambodia is blessed with “an abundance of children and a strong rising generation,” he added. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support this new facility which represents our faith in and contribution toward a glorious future for this beautiful land.”

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Since the Church arrived in Cambodia in 1994, more than 670 humanitarian projects have been completed, with about 25 additional projects underway today in various stages. The new surgical building is the largest and most costly project undertaken by the Church in this Southeast Asian nation.

The National Pediatric Hospital is a busy referral hospital receiving children with complex medical problems from all across Cambodia, a country of 18 million people. 

The existing surgical center is very crowded, averaging 253,000 out-patient days and 35,700 in-patient days annually. With only four operating rooms performing nearly 10,000 operations each year, the operating rooms are constantly busy, and children must sometimes wait long into the night before receiving life-saving procedures. The facility is also old and has deteriorated significantly.

The new four-story, 35,381 square-foot surgical building will double the capacity for pediatric surgery. It will feature seven operating rooms, a seven-bed recovery room, a special intensive care department with 10 beds, and a general patient ward with 80 beds. Nurses’ stations, a training room and a central sterile supply department are also included.

New, state-of-the-art surgical equipment and all other necessary equipment and supplies will also be donated by the Church.

The hospital is located directly across a busy street from the Church’s new Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple, which will be dedicated August 30, 2026.

Hundreds of Cambodian government leaders, medical professionals, medical students, and citizens gathered for the groundbreaking, joining together under a colorful tent that provided shade from the blazing tropical sun. Representatives of the Foundation for International Development/Relief, which donated the original building, also attended, along with several Church leaders in Cambodia, humanitarian staff and missionaries.

In his speech, Minister Chheang Ra said he wanted to “remind and highlight” how important the Church has become in strengthening “the quality, infrastructure and new medical equipment” for Cambodia’s healthcare system. He also thanked the Church that “has always been present in helping Cambodia, especially our children.”

This project will minimize the suffering of children by providing access to surgery using the latest procedures and equipment, he said. Children are the future of Cambodia, so the donation will bless generations. The health minister praised the beautiful design of the surgical building and the new equipment and supplies that will be part of it.

Elder Tai expressed gratitude for the Church’s long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Cult and Religion “to improve the availability and quality of healthcare to all Cambodians and, in this particular project, to children, who are the youngest and often the most vulnerable among us.”

A senior official with the health ministry told Elder Tai that he appreciates the Church because it brings a “spiritual aspect” to its humanitarian service and to the Kingdom of Cambodia. “We know you desire to help people. Your presence here is a blessing.”

His Excellency Dr. Nhip Angkeabos, Director of National Pediatric Hospital, said the groundbreaking was an exciting day for the hospital. “Thank you for this generous gift from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” he said. “Thank you for your support of children.”

He said the original children’s hospital in Phnom Penh was destroyed during the war with the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. In 1980, rebuilding the hospital began and it has grown since then into a large hospital.

He thanked the Church leaders for understanding the need for the project and described the process, which included detailed needs assessment and complex engineering and design. The new surgical center will save many lives, he said. He noted the hospital’s longstanding relationship with the Church, including the donation of surgical medical equipment in 2024.

After the speeches, the large group of hospital, government and Church leaders walked a short distance through the hospital campus to the location of the new building. Large construction equipment, including a tall crane and imposing excavators, started their work after a button was ceremoniously pushed. The building is expected to be completed in August 2027.

On June 14, the day before the groundbreaking, Buddhist religious leaders, along with Church representatives and government and hospital officials, held a traditional Krong Pali and prayer ceremony as part of the groundbreaking and cornerstone laying where the surgical building will be constructed. 

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