The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed its commitment to deepen and expand its health sector collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia, aiming for substantive improvements within the kingdom’s health infrastructure.
On Thursday, June 20th, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet warmly welcomed WHO Regional Director, Saia Mau Piukala, for a productive dialogue at the Peace Palace. This meeting underscored the mutual interest in advancing public health priorities within Cambodia.
During his visit, Piukala highlighted the notable progress Cambodia has made in enhancing its health services. His visit included tours of the Calmette Hospital and Chaktomuk Referral Hospital, where the advancements in health care were evident. Piukala attributed these significant strides to the Royal Government’s strategic and insightful leadership spanning multiple terms, including the current seventh legislature of the National Assembly.
Piukala conveyed WHO’s readiness to provide its expertise and support to further Cambodia’s health initiatives, particularly emphasizing the importance of safeguarding against communicable diseases. “We are positioned to share knowledge and resources with the Royal Government to fortify the kingdom’s preventive measures and health services,” stated Piukala.
He also emphasized the value of collective efforts to safeguard health in the Western Pacific region, offering WHO’s assistance to improve access to high-quality, affordable health services for the region’s 1.9 billion inhabitants.
Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his appreciation for the longstanding and productive relationship between Cambodia and WHO. He shared his optimism that continued collaboration would lead to a robust, accessible, and high-quality health system in Cambodia.
Highlighting the Royal Government’s focus on human capital development, with a special emphasis on mental health and education access, Hun Manet shared insights into government plans for health care enhancement. This includes national and sub-national hospital improvements and the establishment of regional hospitals, with projects underway in Siem Reap and Kampong Cham provinces.
The Prime Minister underscored the government’s strategic efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage through the expansion of social healthcare system coverage and the bolstering of primary care services at health centers and district hospitals. Moreover, Hun Manet touched on the “Roadmap for Global Health Coverage in Cambodia 2024-2035,” which outlines the kingdom’s health care development vision.
In closing, Hun Manet extended gratitude towards WHO for its unwavering support, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaffirming the continued partnership between Cambodia and WHO in tackling future health challenges.
Source: Fresh News
