PHNOM PENH, Mar 12 (NNN-AKP) – The World Bank has approved 113 million U.S. dollars in new financing to Cambodia, in order to improve access to quality health care, said its press statement yesterday.
The new funding included a 55-million-dollar credit from the bank, and a grant of 58 million dollars from donors, the statement said.
The financing is the second phase of the Health Equity and Quality Improvement Project (HEQIP-2), which is aimed at advancing universal health coverage in the country, it said, adding that, the first phase ran from 2016 to 2022.
As an important step towards the goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030, Cambodia is creating a universal health insurance structure, the statement said, adding, the new financing will expand support for the Health Equity Fund to cover health costs for the poor.
The project will support the rollout of national accreditation standards, expand service delivery grants, and implement performance-based financing, it said, adding that, the programme aims to scale up non-communicable disease services, for public health facilities across the country.
“While Cambodia has made progress in delivering health care to its people, more equitable access to quality health care remains an important goal,” said World Bank country manager for Cambodia, Maryam Salim.
“This project will help Cambodia achieve that objective, by expanding access for the poor and vulnerable,” she said.– NNN-AKP
