Speaker
Description
Not only after 2003 that the installation of a Cobalt machine with the efforts of Cambodian Government and the French NGOs (Physiciens san Frontière and Cancérologue sans Frontière), an oncology department has reopened again at (Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital) to serve Cambodian population suffering from cancers. Alongside with the medical equipment and facilities, the need in term of the competent medical staffs are in a priority for helping policy. Due to the recent data estimated by Globocan 2012, there were at least 15116 new cases of cancer patients in Cambodia. With a population of 16 million and the huge number of new cancer cases, at least 60% of cancer cases might need more radiation therapy facilities. Under support of health policy, National Strategic Plan 2008-2015 for Non-Communicable Disease and with the recommendation of imPACT mission report by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2013 and Country Program Framework 2017-2023, has triggered stakeholders to get involved. A proposal made since 2013 and submitted to the World Bank via the Second Health Sector Support Project (HSSP2) of the Ministry of Health to support upgrading the radiotherapy unit at the department of oncology at Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital, a non-profit healthcare institution affordable for poor people. The new radiotherapy machine using 6MV Linear Accelerator is now treating 40-45 patients per day and it replaced the old Cobalt 60 unit since March 2016. At the same time with efforts of the Cambodian government, Ministry of Health, and under the funding and technical support from the IAEA (Technical Cooperation), a new National Cancer Cancer was established since January 2018. For the perspectives to achieve sustainable success, the situation indicates that; the need for human resources (for better functioning of the cancer centers as well as to create a hub of local academic degrees for medical specialists, medical physics and radiation therapy technologies) with standard quality in the field of radiation therapy will play a crucial role in term of the current and future improvement of cancer management in Cambodia. So far, Stakeholders including National Hospitals, Medical universities and the TC program of the IAEA since 2012-2021, NGOs play major roles in capacity building of medical professionals, enhancing cancer center facilities to the need of Cambodian people which follow the recommendation of United Nations’ Millennium goals of sustainable development.
| Country or Int. Organization | Cambodia |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital- University of Health Sciences |
