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The life of a Swiss children’s doctor in Cambodia

Beat Richner, a Swiss paediatric doctor who died at the age of 71, gave his all for sick children in Cambodia. 

Zurich-born Richner, also well known in Switzerland by his nickname of Beatocello, moved to Phnom Penh in 1992, where he rebuilt the Kantha Bopha children’s hospital at the request of Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk after the civil war.

He was honoured in Cambodia last year for his work treating sick children for free. Beat RichnerExternal link regularly gave concerts in Switzerland to present his work in Cambodia and raise money for it. 

His illness had however obliged him to hand over the management of the children’s hospitals to his deputy Peter Studer.

His death was announced by his foundation on Sunday.

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Radio interview with Beat Richner

This content was published on In 2003, Swiss Radio International, the predecessor of swissinfo.ch, interviewed Beat Richner about his work and why his nickname was “Beatocello”.

Read more: Radio interview with Beat Richner


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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR