Cambodia and India reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector through policy exchanges and strategic partnerships, as Minister of Health Chheang Ra welcomed Indian Ambassador Vanlalvawna Bawitlung and his delegation for a courtesy meeting at the Ministry of Health today.
During the discussion, Minister Ra emphasized the significance of deepening collaboration between the two nations, particularly through the exchange of healthcare policies, best practices, and innovations. He highlighted Cambodia’s health sector priorities under the government’s 7th mandate, which include enhancing healthcare services at health centers, district, and provincial referral hospitals. These initiatives will involve infrastructure renovations, the provision of essential medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, and the continuous training of healthcare personnel. Additional key areas of focus include combating non-communicable diseases, strengthening leadership and innovation, and advancing digital health initiatives.
Expanding Digital Health Policy Collaboration
One of the key focal points of the meeting was the advancement of digital health policy collaboration between Cambodia and India. Minister Ra and Ambassador Bawitlung discussed strategies for integrating digital solutions into Cambodia’s healthcare system, with a particular emphasis on telemedicine, electronic health records (EHR), and AI-driven diagnostics. Recognizing India’s significant progress in digital health transformation, the Cambodian delegation expressed keen interest in adopting India’s best practices and regulatory frameworks for digital healthcare governance. The two sides explored opportunities for establishing joint technical working groups to facilitate knowledge-sharing and capacity-building programs for Cambodian healthcare professionals.
Recognizing the importance of knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, Minister Ra underscored the need for policy exchanges between Cambodia and India to facilitate mutual learning in healthcare governance, regulatory frameworks, and medical research. He noted that India’s extensive experience in universal healthcare coverage, digital health transformation, and public-private partnerships can serve as valuable models for Cambodia’s evolving healthcare landscape.
Minister Ra also expressed his deep appreciation to the government and people of India for their sustained commitment to healthcare cooperation. He reiterated Cambodia’s position on enhancing public-private partnerships, reinforcing legal frameworks, and fostering investor confidence to improve healthcare services nationwide. He emphasized that these collaborative efforts align with the ministry’s mission to improve public health and contribute to the national goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2035, as outlined in the Pentagonal Strategy, Phase 1, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Ambassador Bawitlung reaffirmed India’s support for Cambodia’s healthcare objectives, particularly in expanding policy dialogues on digital health, medical infrastructure development, and healthcare financing. He emphasized India’s willingness to facilitate leadership collaborations through ministerial-level policy exchanges, technical cooperation, and joint training programs for healthcare professionals. Additionally, he highlighted India’s interest in facilitating investments to establish international-standard hospitals in Cambodia through close coordination with the ministry’s technical teams.
The meeting underscored both nations’ shared vision for a resilient and accessible healthcare system, setting the stage for expanded collaboration in medical governance, policy harmonization, and long-term investment in Cambodia’s health sector.
