Cambodia commits to further strengthening cooperation with the World Health Organization

Cambodia is committed to further strengthening cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve the health of its people.

This commitment was reaffirmed by H.E. SOK Chenda Sophea, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, during a meeting on 21 June with Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala, WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific. Photo supplied

According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, during the courtesy meeting, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister congratulated H.E. Dr Piukala on his election and appointment as WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific in January 2024. He commended WHO's efforts to advance global health and expressed his deep appreciation for WHO's continued support and contributions to public health in Cambodia.

H.E. SOK Chenda Sophea also reiterated the Cambodian Government's top priorities in this mandate to expand health services to achieve universal health coverage. He said the focus was on improving the social health protection system, strengthening the capacity of primary health care services at health centres and district referral hospitals, and improving the quality of services. In this context, he expressed Cambodia's commitment to further strengthen cooperation with WHO to improve the health and well-being of the Cambodian people.

For his part, H.E. Dr Piukala briefed the Cambodian DPM on the endorsement of WHO's Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14), "WHO Strategic Directions 2025-2028", at the recent 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, and the progress of the draft WHO Regional Vision "Weaving health for families, communities and societies in the Western Pacific Region".

The WHO Regional Director also updated H.E. SOK Chenda Sophea on the progress of the Cambodia-WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2024-2028, which is in the final stages of drafting. He commended Cambodia for its contribution to global health, particularly the important achievements during Covid-19.

H.E. Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala looked forward to continued close collaboration and reaffirmed WHO's willingness to support Cambodia based on its needs and context.

According to the World Health Organisation, Cambodia has made great strides in improving health outcomes in recent decades, particularly in reducing maternal mortality.

The country's health system has been expanded and strengthened. Access to health services has improved, coverage of social health protection schemes has expanded, and the government's commitment to financing essential services and commodities has increased. There is now better regulation and governance, and greater preparedness for pandemic-prone diseases.

However, significant challenges remain as Cambodia moves towards universal health coverage. These include improving the quality and equity of care for all populations, adapting health systems to changing health patterns, ensuring the country's capacity to contribute to global health security, and addressing the social, economic and environmental factors that influence people's health.