PHNOM PENH, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Thursday launched seven new gamma dose rate monitoring stations across its capital and borderline provinces in a bid to strengthen environmental radiation monitoring capabilities.

Donated by the European Union, the MIRA gamma dose rate monitoring systems were installed in the capital Phnom Penh and the provinces of Ratanakiri, Oddar Meanchey, Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep, with a spare system standby for replacement.

Cambodian Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rottanak said these will bolster national capabilities for early response, safeguarding public health and safety, and environmental protection.

"The establishment of these stations in Cambodia advances our commitment to nuclear safety, safeguarding our environment and protecting our citizens from the harmful effects of radiation in case of nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies occurring in the region," he said at the launching event in Phnom Penh.

"With the increasing use of nuclear technology and the potential for radiation exposure, we must have the necessary infrastructure in place to monitor and assess radiation levels in our surroundings," Rottanak said. "The equipment we inaugurate today empowers us with real-time data, enabling proactive decisions to safeguard public health and the environment."

The MIRA gamma dose rate monitoring systems were designed to measure gamma radiation levels in various environmental settings accurately, and each station is connected to Cambodia's central early warning radiation monitoring network and management center.

Each station provides real-time data for timely decision-making and effective management of radiological events or emergencies at both national and regional levels through the ASEAN radiological data exchange platform hosted by the Office of Atoms for Peace in Thailand.

"This initiative reflects the EU's commitment to improving emergency preparedness, response capabilities, and coordination to effectively address health and ecosystem threats at both national and international level," EU ambassador to Cambodia Igor Driesmans said. Enditem

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