PHNOM PENH, August 27, 2024 — Cuba has announced plans to send doctors to Cambodia to provide specialized training in cancer and diabetes treatment as part of a broader collaboration between the two countries. The announcement was made by Milena Caridad Zaldívar Piedra, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Cambodia, during a courtesy call with Professor Chheang Ra, Cambodia's Minister of Health, at the Ministry of Health on August 27, 2024.
Ambassador Zaldívar Piedra stated that Cuba will continue to offer scholarships to general practitioners and medical specialists from Cambodia. This initiative aims to facilitate study visits by Cambodian health officials to Cuba, allowing them to gain insights into Cuba’s primary healthcare system and exchange knowledge and expertise. Additionally, ten Cambodian doctors will be sent to Cuba for advanced training in cancer treatment, underscoring the strong cooperation between the two nations.
During the meeting, Minister Chheang Ra welcomed Cuba's continued support and thanked the Cuban government for its longstanding contribution to Cambodia’s healthcare sector. He acknowledged the efforts of Cuban volunteer doctors who have been providing medical care and training in Cambodia since 1979, following the country's liberation from the Khmer Rouge regime. The Cuban medical teams have played a significant role in training Cambodian doctors and medical students and have provided scholarships to enhance human resources in the health sector.
The Minister also congratulated Ambassador Zaldívar Piedra on her appointment as Cuba's Ambassador to Cambodia in May 2024. He expressed his anticipation for attending the annual Health General Assembly in Cuba in 2025, as invited by Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health.
Minister Chheang Ra expressed his appreciation for Cuba’s ongoing support and requested an expansion of the existing cooperation with the Ministry of Health. He reaffirmed Cambodia's commitment to improving public health and achieving universal health coverage by 2035, in alignment with the Royal Government's Pentagon Strategy under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Ambassador Zaldívar Piedra thanked the Minister for the opportunity to discuss future collaborations and reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to continuing its partnership with Cambodia’s Ministry of Health. Both parties agreed to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including sending Cuban doctors to Cambodia to provide specialized training in cancer and diabetes treatment. They also discussed promoting the trade of medicines, vaccines, and medical equipment in compliance with existing regulations, as well as the import of medications for diabetic ulcers, under the Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries' Ministries of Health signed in 2022.
