BEAT RICHNER History

Dr. Beat Richner's story

Beat Richner was born in Zurich on 13 March 1947. After receiving his medical degree in 1973 he specialised in paediatrics at the Zurich Children's Hospital. In 1974/75 he was sent through the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) to Cambodia to work at the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital. His mission came to an abrupt end when the Khmer Rouge invaded the country. Dr. Richner was forced to return to Switzerland where he took up his former work at the Zurich Children's Hospital. In 1980 he opened his own practice in Zurich, which he shared with a fellow practitioner.

Whilst pursuing his medical career Beat Richner developed the character of BEATOCELLO, an artistic role which he would slip into from time to time and which might best be described as that of a poetic and musical comedian or clown. He has given countless performances, mostly in the German-speaking part of Switzerland but also abroad. Beat Richner has also published a number of books with simple line-drawings -mostly children's book- to accompany his programs and his musical poetic stories.

Kantha Bopha I, the first hospial

In December 1991 Dr. Richner was asked by the Cambodian government to rebuild and manage the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital which was destroyed during the war; once again, his life took a sudden turn as he accepted the job. In March 1992 he created a foundation in Zurich, moved to Phnom Penh and began with the actual reconstruction work. On 2 November 1992 Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital was back in operation. Over the following years the hospital was progressively extended and modified to meet the most urgent needs.

Kantha Bopha II, the second hospial

1995 the hospital Kantha Bopha I became overcrowded with more than 1'000 outpatients every day and over 350 Hospitalisations, the king Norodom Sihanouk offered a land in his Royal Palast in Phnom Penh to build a new hospital. On 12 October 1996 the second Children's Hospital was inaugurated in the presence of Cambodia's king Norodom Sihanouk and Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, president of the Federal Council of Switzerland.

Jayavarman VII, the third hospital

On March 9th 1998 a terrain was given by Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, initiated by H.E. Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, in Siemreap near the temple of Angkor to build a third children's hospital. Jayavarman VII Dr. Beat Richner's third children's Hospital in Siemreap, annexe of Kantha Bopha I & II, was open on March 31th 1999. As well as in Kantha Bopha I & II all is free of charge for all Children. There is a big prevention and Health Education Center, a big Outpatient station and facilities for the hospitalizations and the adequate medical treatments of very sick children having to be hospitalized in order to be saved. The conception of the new Hospital is the result of the staff's 7 years experience in Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital in Phnom Penh. It could be a global model how to build and organize a Hospital facing similar conditions.

Maternity ward for HIV positive mothers

Dr. Beat Richner's story
Beat Richner was born in Zurich on 13 March 1947. After receiving his medical degree in 1973 he specialised in paediatrics at the Zurich Children's Hospital. In 1974/75 he was sent through the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) to Cambodia to work at the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital. His mission came to an abrupt end when the Khmer Rouge invaded the country. Dr. Richner was forced to return to Switzerland where he took up his former work at the Zurich Children's Hospital. In 1980 he opened his own practice in Zurich, which he shared with a fellow practitioner. Whilst pursuing his medical career Beat Richner developed the character of BEATOCELLO, an artistic role which he would slip into from time to time and which might best be described as that of a poetic and musical comedian or clown. He has given countless performances, mostly in the German-speaking part of Switzerland but also abroad. Beat Richner has also published a number of books with simple line-drawings -mostly children's book- to accompany his programs and his musical poetic stories.
Kantha Bopha I, the first hospial In December 1991 Dr. Richner was asked by the Cambodian government to rebuild and manage the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital which was destroyed during the war; once again, his life took a sudden turn as he accepted the job. In March 1992 he created a foundation in Zurich, moved to Phnom Penh and began with the actual reconstruction work. On 2 November 1992 Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital was back in operation. Over the following years the hospital was progressively extended and modified to meet the most urgent needs.
	Kantha Bopha II, the second hospial 1995 the hospital Kantha Bopha I became overcrowded with more than 1'000 outpatients every day and over 350 Hospitalisations, the king Norodom Sihanouk offered a land in his Royal Palast in Phnom Penh to build a new hospital. On 12 October 1996 the second Children's Hospital was inaugurated in the presence of Cambodia's king Norodom Sihanouk and Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, president of the Federal Council of Switzerland.

Jayavarman VII, the third hospital On March 9th 1998 a terrain was given by Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, initiated by H.E. Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, in Siemreap near the temple of Angkor to build a third children's hospital. Jayavarman VII Dr. Beat Richner's third children's Hospital in Siemreap, annexe of Kantha Bopha I & II, was open on March 31th 1999. As well as in Kantha Bopha I & II all is free of charge for all Children. There is a big prevention and Health Education Center, a big Outpatient station and facilities for the hospitalizations and the adequate medical treatments of very sick children having to be hospitalized in order to be saved. The conception of the new Hospital is the result of the staff's 7 years experience in Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital in Phnom Penh. It could be a global model how to build and organize a Hospital facing similar conditions.
	Maternity ward for HIV positive mothers