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STRINGER

A doctor is on trial for murder after infecting hundreds of patients with HIV

Yem Chroeum claims he did not knowingly infect his patients.

AN UNLICENCED CAMBODIAN doctor who allegedly infected more than 200 people with HIV, including  some who later died, has gone on trial for murder.

The case has shone a spotlight on the chronically underfunded health care system in an impoverished nation where many have to rely on self-taught or unlicensed medics to receive treatment.

Yem Chroeum, 55, is accused of infecting locals in the remote village of Roka in western Battambang province by reusing dirty needles.

Em Sovann, his lawyer, said the court has set a five-day trial.

“In the courtroom my client still claims he is innocent,” Em Sovann said, adding that the doctor did not deliberately or knowingly infect his patients.

Yem Chroeum faces charges of murder, deliberately infecting patients with HIV and running an unlicensed clinic.

He faces life in prison if convicted, Em Sovann said.

For millions of Cambodians — especially the poor and those in remote regions — unlicensed doctors are the only realistic healthcare option for everyday ailments.

World Bank figures say Cambodia, one of Asia’s poorest nations, has just 0.2 doctors for every 100,000 people, on a par with Afghanistan.

Similarly impoverished Myanmar has 0.4 per 100,000, while France boasts 3.2 per 100,000.

Much of Cambodia’s shortfall is made up by unlicensed practitioners.

But the HIV infections in Roka shocked the country and saw the government vow to crack down on unlicensed health providers.

Some of those who were infected are expected to testify at the trial.

Loeum Lorn, 52, said he and four of his family members had become HIV-positive.

“We are his (the doctor’s) victims but it was only late on that we discovered we were infected,” he told reporters outside the court.

He added that around ten villagers who were infected, mostly elderly, had since died.

At the trial Tuesday prosecutor Heng Luy accused the doctor of hiding the facts and changing his story.

“We will have to collect all the information and evidence from all the witnesses,” he told AFP. “But we can’t make any conclusion right now.”

© – AFP 2015

Read: Leo Varadkar has called for an increase in HIV testing in Ireland >

Read: HIV clinic accidentally reveals identity of 780 clients >

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    Mute The Viscount
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:18 PM

    Shame, damn you iTunes!

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    Mute Eoghan Hickey
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    Sep 24th 2012, 7:39 PM

    Can’t really blame iTunes for this one. Digital downloads were about beforehand. Apple just found a way of getting people to pay for em. Problem exists as the attitude towards music has altered. Albums are perceived as free, and gigs are where the losses are recouped

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    Mute The Viscount
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    Sep 24th 2012, 11:13 PM

    I know Eoghan, i still hate iTunes though. Anyone who thinks Steve Jobs was a master of usability has obviously never suffered it deleting your music library and your contacts.

    Damn you iTunes!

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    Mute Rodger O Waters
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:30 PM

    Sad to read this, browsing in a record or book shop is more enjoyable than clicking a mouse,

    85
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    Mute Jonathan Dunne
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:22 PM

    A Shame they are closing. i used to buy a lot of 12″‘s in their back in the 80′s. I wonder why the owners left it so long to have an online presence. The writing has been on the wall for independent retailers for at leas the past 7/8 years. Also my buying habits have changed over the years, i shop on-line for CD’s/DVD’s

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    Mute Sluazcanal
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:31 PM

    Sign of the times, Recession or no recession these place are just dying out.

    49
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    Mute Sluazcanal
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:32 PM

    *dieting

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    Mute Sluazcanal
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:33 PM

    God famn auto correct i give up.

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    Mute _doesnotcompute
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:47 PM

    Yup, online music purchasing is killing off family stores like this. Shame.

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    Mute James Patrick Smith
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:25 PM

    Ah here leave it bleeding out (sorry)

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    Mute Aisling Cahill
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:23 PM

    So sad to hear this :(

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    Mute Paul McMahon
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    Sep 24th 2012, 2:02 PM

    How about record companies actually make the physical CD a viable option by putting more content into the packaging and not taking things out to bring down the price? Most CDs now have a slim booklet with no lyrics and hardly any artwork. The point of the CD is physical ownership so how about making it worthwhile and separate it from MP3?

    What about video content on the disc? Limited edition prints? Better booklets with lyrics exclusive artwork and pictures? Physical memorabilia or additional discounts on the artists other work?

    Id happily buy CDs if they put the effort into them because purely based on price the digital format wins hands down

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    Mute Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa
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    Sep 24th 2012, 3:34 PM

    Any business that sells anything that can be bought digitally – music, movies, books etc – is in trouble. Adding extras won’t make any difference. The number of people who actually want to physically own the disks or books is falling at a big rate and those that are left will not be enough to keep these shops in business. The result of this will be the profits being focussed on a few global companies – Amazon, Apple etc – and a big loss to local businesses. The same is happening with clothes – peoples initial reluctance to buy without trying them on is fading and the move online is happening there too…..

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    Mute Daniel Hynes
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    Sep 24th 2012, 6:26 PM

    Have to disagree Diarmaid, Classic Rock magazine have put together some incredible offerings at reasonable prices for new albums the past two years and have been enormously successful. Slash’s new record came with poster, badges, full magazine, and an exclusive booklet along with exclusive bonus songs. I was very excited about it and rushed out to buy it, and I’m a regular downloader!

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    Mute Daniel Hynes
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    Sep 24th 2012, 6:29 PM

    And that’s not to say I disagree with your entire post! Just the part about effort to sell physical copies not making any difference whatsoever! I agree with the inevitable move toward the mega suppliers Amazon, Apple etc.

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    Mute john cleary
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    Sep 24th 2012, 12:42 PM

    plus one on that Jonathan, have a load if vinyl 12′s from Dolphin here.
    Aside from the records it was a Dublin landmark.
    Good luck with the online business.

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    Mute David Kelly
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    Sep 24th 2012, 1:03 PM

    I think it’s only partially recession related. It’s far more about online retail, particularly iTunes and even just streaming music from YouTube.

    Physically selling music media is really something that’s turned from mainstream into a very niche business. There will always be a market for it, but even that’s largely being met by online retailers with obscure back catalogue stuff.

    It’s a shame to see these businesses disappear, but I think it’s just a reflection of a very dramatic change in technology.

    It’s just a classic and very dramatic marketing paradigm shift. The whole distribution model has changed and the old ways of doing business just no longer make sense. It’s a bit like how neighbourhood cinemas disappeared when television arrived.

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    Mute Sloan Bonnar
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    Sep 24th 2012, 1:21 PM

    Sorry to read about this closure, was always a great stockist of quality Irish music. Good luck with their online business.

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    Mute Brendan Roche
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    Sep 24th 2012, 3:48 PM

    Another nail in the coffin for home grown companies

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Sep 24th 2012, 1:48 PM

    It was no Road Records but sorry to see any independent record shop closing.

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    Mute Patrick van den Hurk
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    Sep 24th 2012, 3:12 PM

    Shame… Bought some nice vinyl there. Shops like this one – and Road Records – will be missed!

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 24th 2012, 2:53 PM

    I can remember browsing in there in the late 70′s early 80′s- flipping through all the vinyl records. Although I think I bought my music in golden discs. Those were the days.

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    Mute stephen cullen
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    Sep 25th 2012, 9:17 AM

    Xtra vision will be next, mark my words…

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    Mute Ian Murphy
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    Sep 25th 2012, 8:17 AM

    Really people, this is going to happen more and more.
    Haven’t bought a CD or DVD in years.
    Joy of physical disc in your hand or smell of books is easily replaced by convenience of having so much material on a phone or computer and having instant access to downloads and no storage space at home required.
    It’s the future of the business and not all downloads are illegal or free.

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    Mute Cathy Paul Lynam
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    Sep 25th 2012, 4:02 AM

    call me old fashioned but there is nothing like owning your own disc or l p now there is something most of those commenting don’t even remember I do agree that added extras may benefit but I don’t want to even try understanding why kids today think that getting free music off the internet does affect all those in the music industry and I am not just talking about the front men I am talking about the engineers the producers the lady who cleans the studio the staff in back up the printers who do the sleeves etc it goes on and on and it is sad to think that the youth of today don’t seem to understand the economics of the whole thing and the amount of people truly affected by illegal download so am saddened that dolphin discs is to disappear and feel that the Dublin of my youth slowly fades into memory and the streets I loved are dying under the worst economic downturn in the last 100 yrs

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Sep 25th 2012, 6:46 AM

    I’m sorry to hear yet another business close, and have to agree with Cathy, I’m a mad reader and no Kindle or the like could ever replace the feel and smell of a book, and you get to keep it, physically!

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    Mute Dave
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    Sep 28th 2012, 6:32 PM

    GREAT SHOP!!!
    Sad to see it go
    Its very sad to see so many great shops closing down and not one Government Minister doing anything about it
    Maybe our Ministers should get out of Our Mercs. and go for a walk down the streets of Ireland and talk to the owners of these businesses and give them some Help instead of Bending over Backwards for these Large
    Multinationals that are using this Country as a Tax Heaven can these Ministers not see whats going on. The way things are going at the moment the only Shops that will be left in Ireland will be Knocking Shops,
    WAKE up Ministers and do a bit of Work?? ( Work!! sure they woulden’t on Batteries)

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    Mute stephen cullen
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    Sep 25th 2012, 9:18 AM

    Xtra vision will be next, mark my words….

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