PHNOM PENH: The University of Puthisastra held a two-day research conference on “Improving Cambodian Health and Wellbeing” on the 13 and 14 of October. Minister Attached to the Prime Minister, Professor Chhem Rethy, gave an opening speech and Dr Hul Siengheing from the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, launched the Health Technology Road Map for Cambodia from 2022 to 2032.

During the two days of the “Improving Cambodian Health and Wellbeing” research conference at the University of Puthisastra, distinguished guests delivered keynote addresses and presided over a number of plenary discussions.

The President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Puthisastra, Professor Ian Findlay, explained that the purpose of this conference is to encourage discussion and collaboration between the highly qualified attendees, to work towards the development of a strong health future for Cambodia.

The research conference had three main objectives:

• To improve discussion and collaboration between the many players in the health space;

• To build public and private partnerships to work together to reap the benefits from private sector innovation and public sector infrastructure;

• And to build research and critical thinking to strengthen and develop a health sector that everyone can be proud of.

The university's Research Director, Dr Tineke Water, further explained that the purpose of the conference was to promote health research, however, not just in the health sector.

 “The purpose of the conference really is to promote health research, and also the importance of how health doesn’t sit by itself, its influence [is seen in] education, politics, economics,” said Dr Water. “We’ve tried to bring a variety of stakeholders together, with the view of working together through research, so that we can further health outcomes for people in Cambodia.”

“Here at the University of Puthisastra, we’re primarily a health university, so we have facilities in medicine, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, pharmaceuticals and also health science. We are a small university but we really believe in the importance of evidence-based education, and also evidence-based practice, which means you need good solid research,” added Dr Water.

The Director General of the General Department of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Ministry of Industry, Dr Hul Siengheing, gave a summary of the 10-year Health Technology Road Map Cambodia 2022 to 2032, which was launched at the research conference.

“The health technology road map is really a guidance to all the researchers working in the country,” he said.

Dr Hul Siengheing also spoke of the great research collaboration between the Ministry and the University of Puthisastra.

“UP (University of Puthisastra) is really a big player in the health and development sector, especially in research, with knowledge on health, and specifically in health technology [on a local level],” he said.

“The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen, he really supports science and technological innervation, and with him as the honorable chair of the national council of science and technology, he endorses this health technology road map as a guide for all stakeholders.”

The two-day research conference featured a number of great keynote speeches and plenary discussions on a variety of different healthcare subjects such as on oral health, psychological well-being, a ‘one health’ approach in research, and HPV related cancer and care. The conference falls under the University of Puthisastra’s broad vision of a healthier Cambodia through the propagation of health education and health-related research.

The University of Puthisastra brings together health, education, research and technology – the drivers for Cambodia's future.