Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh has completed Cambodia's first kidney transplant, according to an October 7 report by Agence Kampuchea Presse. The achievement was celebrated at the French Embassy in Cambodia on October 6.
The procedure was not launched on the spur of the moment; it followed years of preparation. Cambodia's kidney transplant strategic program began in 2019 but slowed during the pandemic. By the end of 2025, the initiative was relaunched and accelerated, with Cambodian medical teams traveling to Lyon, France for training and technical exchanges with French specialists.
The program is supported by the French government, the French Embassy in Cambodia and the Lyon Public Hospital Group. French experts are not only participating in the surgery and providing technical guidance, but, more importantly, helping train a local Cambodian medical team so that, over time, domestic doctors can independently carry out the treatment.
For patients with end-stage kidney disease, this breakthrough carries great significance. In the past, some patients with complex conditions may have needed to travel abroad for transplant treatment. With the program now in place, eligible patients are expected to be able to receive more complex kidney disease treatment within Cambodia in the future.
A kidney transplant, however, does not end with the operation. Patients need to take medication long-term, undergo regular check-ups, and pay particular attention to preventing infection and rejection. Cambodia is also working with France and related medical institutions to continue improving technical training, post-operative monitoring and the healthcare support system.
From long-term dialysis to the first kidney transplant, Cambodia's capacity to treat kidney disease is moving to a new level.