Cambodia: The Rural Poor are Receiving Free Heath Care in Preah Vihear
Siv Mao, 25, just had a caesarian operation. She feels some discomfort but is smiling. Her newborn baby is sleeping fitfully beside her and she says: “They saved our lives and I’m happy.”
Ms. Mao encountered complications in her pregnancy and doctors knew she could not deliver safely at the rural health center in her community. She was transferred to the 16 Makara, a provincial hospital supported by the World Bank and other development partners. The doctors and nurses there delivered her baby safely and saved her life. …
16 Makara is the largest hospital in Preah Vihear, a remote province in Cambodia. It has modern equipment and staffed with doctors and medical specialists. There is a critical need for more hospitals like it in Preah Vihear. In 2012, 16 Makara’s bed occupancy rate already reached 151 percent. …
The Health Equity Fund (HEF) subsidizes costs for the poor in 16 Makara and other hospitals and health centers. In 2012, 1.17 million beneficiaries (or 78 percent of the poor nationwide) benefited. …
The multi-donor Health Sector Support Project (HSSP1) and the Second Health Sector Support Program (HSSP2) funded the construction and operations of 16 Makara. Donors include the World Bank, Australian Agency for International Development, Department for International Development, and UNICEF.
The project’s objective is to support the government’s 2008-2015 health strategic plan. It aims to improve and give equal access to health for all, especially for women, children and the poor. …
