PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian government launched a program this week which provides free healthcare to those working in the adult tourism sector of the country’s informal economy.

The program was kicked off on August 11-12 with an event at Wat Phnom, where workers from two communes were invited to sign up for their benefits. The event was coordinated by the National Council for Social Protection and in collaboration with the United Nations Joint Program on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS) in Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia, an inter-ministerial groups between the Ministry of Planning, the National AIDS Authority, and Phnom Penh Capital Hall.

Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Secretary-General of the National Council for Social Protection, Chan Narith, said that the program is fully supported and does not require a monthly membership fee like some social benefit programs. "The target group of people who work in adult tourism services of the informal economy, they are not obliged to pay. This is a health care system that is fully supported by the national budget for benefit of the people," he said.

Representing the Ministry of Planning at the event was Theng Pagnathun who said that workers from the Srah Chak and Wat Phnom communes in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district were eligible to sign up and receive their benefits card, which can be used at any public hospital immediately. The sign-up campaign will then continue to the provinces to spread the word on the new program. Starting August 13th, workers from all over will be able to register for the program at their local commune office.

Secretary-General Chan Narith announced the program in June and it is a positive step forward in ensuring a healthy population, regardless of career. It aims to provide an opportunity for vulnerable groups to receive free health care coverage at public health facilities and other social protection benefits from the Royal Government based on the principle of “No citizen left behind.”