Dr. Chantha Sok

Dr. Chantha Sok is one of Cambodia's very few consultant rheumatologists, practising at Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh — the country's leading public teaching hospital and a Franco-Khmer institution with a strong tradition of French medical collaboration. With 13 years of specialist practice, Dr. Sok addresses a significant unmet need in Cambodian healthcare: rheumatological diseases are common yet frequently misdiagnosed due to the extreme scarcity of rheumatology specialists in the country.

Rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are prevalent in Cambodia, yet access to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic therapies has historically been very limited. Dr. Sok is instrumental in expanding access to evidence-based rheumatological care. Gout is disproportionately common among Cambodian men and is often undertreated, leading to advanced tophaceous gout with joint destruction. SLE disproportionately affects younger Cambodian women and represents another significant area of practice — Dr. Sok manages SLE in its multiple manifestations including renal, haematological, and cutaneous involvement.

Dr. Sok trained in France and is fluent in Khmer, French, and English, making her accessible to international patients and expatriate communities in Phnom Penh.

Dr. Sok completed her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Health Sciences Cambodia in Phnom Penh. She then pursued specialist training in France, completing her Diplôme d'Études Spécialisées (DES) in Rheumatology at Université Paris Diderot (Paris 7), with clinical training at the Hôpital Lariboisière — one of Paris's leading rheumatology centres. Her Parisian training exposed her to the full spectrum of inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases, and crystal arthropathies in a high-volume European academic centre. She returned to Cambodia committed to applying European standards of rheumatological care to the Cambodian context, and participates in APLAR continuing education programmes.

Dr. Sok manages the full spectrum of rheumatological conditions relevant to the Cambodian population. For rheumatoid arthritis, she initiates and monitors conventional DMARDs (methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide) and biologic agents where available. For SLE, she manages mild-to-moderate disease with hydroxychloroquine and corticosteroids and coordinates nephrology co-management for lupus nephritis. She manages gout through acute flare treatment and urate-lowering therapy with allopurinol or febuxostat, and evaluates tophaceous deposits. She performs joint aspiration for diagnostic synovial fluid analysis and therapeutic drainage, and administers intra-articular corticosteroid injections for acute inflammatory arthritis.

Calmette Hospital has longstanding ties with French medical institutions. Dr. Sok consults in Khmer, French, and English. Expatriates and international patients resident in Phnom Penh seeking rheumatology consultations frequently choose Dr. Sok due to her French-language training, English proficiency, and expertise in inflammatory arthritis and lupus. For complex investigations not available in Cambodia, she coordinates referrals to Bangkok, Singapore, or Ho Chi Minh City.

Dr. Sok has been recognised by the Cambodian Society of Rheumatology for her foundational contributions to rheumatology practice development in Cambodia and for her efforts to improve access to disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy for Cambodian patients with inflammatory arthritis. She was commended by APLAR for her leadership in Southeast Asian rheumatology education and capacity-building initiatives. Her French specialist training at Hôpital Lariboisière in Paris and her commitment to applying European standards of rheumatological care to the Cambodian context represent a significant contribution to the country's growing specialist medical workforce. She has presented clinical observations on lupus and gout management at regional APLAR meetings.