Following the fading of El Niño, rains finally set in and temperatures dropped. This allowed for many activities to happen as people were reinvigorated, including P4HC+ partners. Most Khmer farmers, however, incurred serious debts as a result of the draught and soring heat, considerably impairing their affordable access to health care.
The number of bi/multilateral P4HC+ partners increased to 15 with UNFPA and ADB joining. The Modus Operandi was verbally agreed upon and is used in its current form. P4HC+ now has two co-conveners and two secretaries and was recently joined by a Junior Coordinator –funded by USAID- to assist with the increasing number of associated tasks and activities.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance disseminated its final draft of the Policy Framework on Social Protection and is to be commended for its work. The proposed arrangements are fit to make optimal use of available resources. To increase the framework’s clout and ensure its implementation, the Secretary of State requested for support to embed it in an umbrella law. This technical support is jointly extended by GiZ and ILO, financed by USAID.
The Policy Framework foresees that by 2020 all social health protection schemes –for formal private sector employees, civil servants, poor and vulnerable people, non-poor informal sector population- will be implemented by the National Social Security Fund. Initially this Fund was established for formal private sector employees but sees its scope considerably expanded. The Fund will therefore require substantial technical and financial assistance to cope with the demands whereby ILO called for two special P4HC+ meetingsto align and complement activities as well as to identify gaps in assistance.
AFD held a consultative meeting with P4HC+ partners to formulate its future support to the Cambodian government for social health protection. WHO called for a meeting of P4HC+ partners to discuss a forthcoming assessment on Budget Allocation and Funding Flows and to learn from related experiences and initiatives to strengthen cross-fertilization and to avoid eventual duplications. This exercise is joined by the US Treasury.
A Cambodian delegation composed of nine representatives of the Ministries of Health (including a deputy Secretary of State); Economy and Finance (Secretary of State); and Labour joined colleagues from Nepal and Lao PDR for the Asian edition of the joint GiZ/World Bank Leadership for Universal Health Coverage. The first session was held at Manila followed by the second module at Kuala Lumpur. The objective of the programme is to shape leadership skills to successfully addresses political economy issues related to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The World bank and USAID meanwhile jointly organized an Asia Regional Flagship Course on Health System Strengthening and Sustainable Financing to in Cambodia. Many P4HC+ partners have staff members attending in addition to government officials.
An informative session on P4H and P4HC+ operations and objectives was held with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Similar sessions are scheduled with the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Health.
