PHNOM PENH: The government plans to end the cash program that helped poor and vulnerable families during the Covid-19 crisis and will be replacing it with a new program.

Minister of Social Affairs, Chea Somethy, confirmed this during the official launch of two national social assistance programs on Tuesday morning at the Sokha Hotel in Phnom Penh.

The Minister stated that the cash aid program for families affected by Covid-19 will be phased out by next month and that the subsidy rate will be reduced before implementing the new social aid program and family package starting in April 2024.

"The cash assistance program for poor and vulnerable families during the fight against Covid-19 is a special social assistance program that has been implemented with the aim of stabilizing the lives of poor and vulnerable families, during the Covid-19 crisis only,” he said.

The Covid-19 cash assistance program launched in June 2020 and provided nearly $1.2 billion to 700,000 families.

Prime Minister Hun Manet said that the Covid-19 crisis is over, but the government will continue to address the needs of the people.

"Although we need to wrap up the Covid-19 program soon, we also need to set up a mechanism to be ready to help the people," he said.

As of November 30, Cambodia had identified 138,955 cases of Covid-19 infection and 3,056 deaths. Meanwhile 95.71% of the population of over 16 million had been vaccinated against the pandemic. Former Prime Minister Hun Sen counts this as one of his greatest achievements.