The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 565
World Bank Project Proposes Health Sector Reform Strategies
“Although donor countries have detailed development plan of the country, but as nowadays a mechanism for the elimination of corruption in Cambodian society is not yet in place, Khmer poor citizens face difficulties in the health sector. Recently, the World Bank has proposed health sector reform strategies to develop the health sector in Cambodia. Though there were hundreds of millions of dollars spent since 1996, there is still no noticeable focus on Khmer poor citizens from state institutions. Although the health sector improved somewhat, Khmer poor citizens are still seriously affected by discrimination, and the requirement to pay money for different services.
“According to the World Bank, strategies are prepared for the health sector from 2008 to 2015, summarized as follows:
“The World Bank has approved to provide a credit of US$30 million to support the implementation of the Cambodian 2005-2015 health sector strategies. These strategies aim to promote preventive health and heath services for Khmer citizens, especially focusing on women, children, and the poor.
“This credit will be used to provide financing for the Second Health Sector Support Program, and in a period of five years, this program will receive a total credit of US$120 million from six development partners. As for the World Bank, the credit will be provided to the International Development Association [IDA] which is an agency of the World Bank that is in charge of providing supports to the world’s poorest countries. A part of the aid will be provided from the Department for International Development [DFID-UK], AusAID [Australia], UNICEF, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities [UNFPA], and the Agence Française de Développement [AFD]. Also, other development partners expect to join this program during the implementation process.
“The Second Health Sector Support Program will use the health plan of the Royal Government of Cambodia and its mechanisms to observe the results and to share the management of the program jointly, and to allocate the resources as a joint package. This program had been organized to help Cambodia to improve its health situation through strengthening the capacity and mechanisms of its institutions that help the government and the development partners, and it can guarantee achievements in the health sector to be more efficient and more effective than before.
“The Second Health Sector Support Program will increase available resources to ensure the promotion of the health of mothers and children, as well as to contribute to deal with new heath problems, such as injuries and chronic diseases. This plan promotes the quality of training of health professionals, including midwives, and strengthens health service delivery at heath centers and referral hospitals. This program also helps the government to become a helper in health systems. Many poor citizens will benefit a lot from this program, because this program aims to expand the supports for Health Equity Funds in order to help poor citizens to have the opportunity to receive major health care and preventive health care. This program also assists civil society organizations in making health plans at the local level, and in observing the provision of services.
“Professor Eng Huot, secretary of state of the Ministry of Health, said, ‘During the last few decades, the heath of Khmer citizens improved noticeably. The average life expectancy has increased from 52 to 58 years for men and from 56 to 64 years for women, the death rates of infants and children from diseases also declined; as for the infection by HIV and AIDS, it can also be prevented. However, we still have to address many major problems. These include the high maternal mortality, the slow progress in fighting malnutrition, and the rising cost for health care; and there is still the poor quality of health care, and the rise of injuries and non-communicable diseases. We hope that with a lot of support through the Second Health Sector Support Program from the World Bank and different development partners, we will have the ability to achieve and to guarantee the continuity to reach the Millennium Development Goals as well as to promote equity in the health sector. The Second Health Sector Support Program will be important to promote harmonization, and to be along the lines of harmonizing of all aid in the heath sector, to be in line with the intentions and commitments as stated in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the International Health Partnership.’
“The World Bank Country Director for Cambodia Ian Porter sated, ‘The World Bank has worked in the health sector since 1996 through two projects – the Disease Control and Health Development Project, and the Health Sector Support Project. We continue to maintain strong relations with the government and other development partners in assisting the health sector. We are satisfied to see the process of the health sector supporting project which is in line with assistance strategies for Cambodia, created in cooperation with DFID, the Asian Development Bank, and the UN system.’
“Claire Moran, the Country Manager for the UK Department for International Development – DFID – said, ‘I am delighted to hear that the World Bank and the donor countries have created this new project. This project not only speeds up development towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the health sector, but it is also an important measure to guarantee the efficiency of the use of aid in the health sector. In line with this commitment, development partners and the Royal Government of Cambodia signed the International Health Partnership agreement in September 2007, which is a new program, and there is the plan to collect resources and to work in a more coordinated way to streamline how development partners support the Ministry of Health.’” Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3339, 21.6.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1673, 21.6.2008
- Vietnam Runs the First Factory to Produce Construction Products in Cambodia
- Police and Tens of Thousands of Demonstrators Faced Each Other in Bangkok [20 June 2008]
- Thailand Ranks Among the Worst Countries for Refugees [according to the World Refugee Survey 2008 of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants]
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #182, 21.6.2008
- [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian] Son Chhay Said a Citizen Should Get US$800 from Corrupt Officials, Not Just a Sarong [sarcastic – sarong: a kind of long skirt]
Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #30, 21-23.6.2008
- Opposition Party and Civil Society Organizations Are Concerned about the Printing of Ballots beyond the Numbers Needed, and That They Have No High Quality
- Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia [NICFEC] Vows to Provide Training to Those Who Are Involved in the Election Work at the Basis of the 1,621 Communes
- Thousands of Hectares of Land in Anlong Veng [District] and at Dangrek Mountain Were Burnt by Merchants and Enclosed to Be Claimed as Their Own Land [Oddar Meanchey]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6377, 21-22.6.2008
- New Map of the Preah Vihear Temple Was Shown; Government Consents to the Agreement over the Preah Vihear Temple of Cambodia [20 June 2008]
- Five Khmer and Two Thai Fishing Laborers Escaped from a [Thai] Fishing Boat Boss by Riskily Swimming across the Sea to Seek Rescuers [Sihanoukville]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3492, 21-22.6.2008
- Kampuchea Krom Khmer Association [in the United States] Plans to Hold Demonstration against a Visit by the Yuon [Vietnamese] Prime Minister to the United States [on 24 June 2008]
- Authority Blocks the Money of Chea Ratha [who is involved in the acid attack on Ms. In Soklida’s aunt on 8 May 2008] in a Bank Temporarily [according to the head of the national Interpol office Keo Vanthan]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4621, 21.6.2008
- The chairman of the EU election observers group [Mr. Martin Callanan]: Mr. Sam Rainsy’s Immunity Will Not Be Revoked before the Election [he said so on 20 June 2008, after he received confirmation from Mr. Hor Namhong during a meeting on 18 June 2008, who sued Mr. Sam Rainsy
- The Cambodian King [Norodom Sihamoni] Will Visit Vietnam Early Next Week
- [Former Thai Prime Minister] Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Told [the current Prime Minister] Samak to Resign while Thousands Surrounded the Government Building [he put three conditions for Mr. Samak Sundaravej: 1. Resign from his position, 2. Dissolve the Assembly to hold new elections, 3. Create a Government of National Unity; and he warned that if there is no discussion between the government and the leaders of the demonstrators, there may be another coup to finish this confrontation]
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3339, 21.6.2008
- The World Bank Group: World Bank and Multiple Donors Help Cambodia Achieve its Health Goals
- One Liter of Fuel Costs Riel 2,000 More than in the Bordering Countries
Have a look at the last editorial – press freedom was strongly under threat
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