Boosting Maternal and Child Health Care in Cambodia Is Our Obligation

With Maternal and Child Mortality as the top priority of the Ministry of Health under the Rectangular Strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia (Phase II), it is necessary that health staff at all levels combine efforts with health development partners to bring about a substantial reduction in mortality rates quickly. Speaking at the National Maternal and Child Health Center in Phnom Penh on 3 February 2009, H.E. Dr. MAM BUNHENG, Minister of Health called on health care providers to firmly adhere to internal regulations and their professional duties in order to provide the people of Cambodia, especially women and children
and their care takers, with high quality of care.

He reiterated that capacity building of medical staff and the deployment of secondary midwives to health centers are the key elements in the MOH’s strategy toward the reduction of maternal and child deaths.

Professor Koum Kanal, Director of the NMCHC, stated that in the month of January 2009, as many as 708 pregnant women delivered their babies at the National Center, resulting in a bed occupancy rate of 89.92% for the 154 beds available, and an average length of stay of 4.17 days. He further said that in 2008, a total of 7,661 deliveries occurred at NMCHC of which 1,242 faced obstetric complications.

During his conversation with the medical staff, H.E. Dr. MAM BUNHENG pointed out the importance of antenatal care, post partum care and new born care, as well as the prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to child. He added that a Fast Track Initiative has been launched by the MOH to provide pregnant women with opportunities for counseling, early diagnosis and prompt appropriate treatment in this regard.

H.E. the Minister also encouraged medical staff to regularly provide supplements to expectant mothers, such as iron Folate, Vitamin A and tetanus vaccine which are key preventive interventions contributing toward the reduction of mother and child deaths.

The visit of H.E. the Minister to the NMCH Center has demonstrated his high concern for improvements in maternal, newborn and child health care and is expected to further boost community and health care provider motivation to achieve these key Goals.

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