NEW YORK: Senior Minister Ouch Borith addressed the United Nations on September 21 to detail Cambodia’s successful handling of the Covid-19 crisis at the “Universal Health Coverage: Expanding our ambition for health and well-being in a post-Covid-19 world” meeting. During his speech, he affirmed Cambodia’s steadfast commitment to universal health coverage as a pivotal pillar of sustainable development. He highlighted significant strides in Cambodia’s healthcare system, including expanded infrastructure, a bolstered healthcare workforce, financial protection mechanisms for all, and strengthened primary healthcare, ensuring 80% of the population enjoys access to healthcare services within a 5-kilometer radius. As of 2023, Cambodia has 1,136 health centers and 122 hospitals.

The senior minister emphasized Cambodia’s active engagement in disease prevention and control, notably towards eliminating malaria in 2020, and making commendable progress in reducing HIV prevalence. Cambodia is intensifying its disease surveillance systems to effectively detect and respond to climate-sensitive diseases.

Ouch Borith reaffirmed Cambodia’s readiness to collaborate with the UN member states, UN agencies, and stakeholders to advance global health goals in a post-Covid world. He underscored that health serves not only as an objective but also a cornerstone upon which we can construct a fairer and more prosperous world.