Cambodia Reaffirms ASEAN Health Cooperation Pledge
Cambodia’s Minister of Health, Chheang Ra, reaffirmed the country’s dedication to improving the health and well-being of ASEAN citizens by strengthening cooperation with ASEAN and its dialogue partners. The commitment was announced during the 16th ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting (AHMM) held from August 5-9 in Vientiane, Laos.
The meetings were attended by health ministers from the ten ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste, China, Japan, South Korea, and the US, alongside representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia. These biannual meetings are the highest-level gatherings of the ASEAN health sector, designed to assess progress, identify risk factors, and set commitments for achieving universal health coverage across the region.
During the conference, the health ministers discussed expanding regional cooperation, bolstering healthcare systems, and enhancing health security through various initiatives, such as the ASEAN Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Network and the ASEAN Risk Assessment and Risk Communication Centre (ARARC).
In a press release circulated on August 11, the Cambodian Ministry of Health stated, “During each meeting, the minister confirmed Cambodia’s position and commitment to strengthen cooperation…to improve the health and well-being of the people of the ASEAN region in line with the will and efforts of the Cambodian government.”
Additionally, Minister Ra signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with his Indonesian counterpart to deepen health cooperation between Cambodia and Indonesia. He also met with Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar to discuss the ongoing cooperation and assistance provided by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi). Gavi has pledged to support Cambodia for another five years.
A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting outlined the activities aimed at strengthening and expanding cooperation within the regional partnership and with ASEAN dialogue partners. This statement also confirmed the continuation of the ASEAN-China MoU. Moreover, ASEAN and the US have committed to promoting regular dialogue and cooperation, aligning with efforts to enhance the overall health of ASEAN residents and achieve universal health coverage by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Source: Phnom Penh Post
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