USAID ASSIST Project Cambodia Country Report FY18

The five Councils included the Medical Council of Cambodia (MCC), Dental Council of Cambodia (DCC), Cambodian Midwives Council (CMC), Cambodian Council of Nurses (CCN), and Pharmacy Council of Cambodia (PCC). Strengthening the system of health profession regulation in Cambodia involved the five Councils establishing an appropriately resourced, cost-effective, and efficient body for the governance and operations to regulate all health professionals across all health care sectors – public, private, and non-profit. This contributed to the Royal Government of Cambodia's quality and safety agenda for improved health care services by ensuring the regulatory functions of registration of health professionals and license to practice of health practitioners; professional practice standards; monitoring and compliance against standards; and complaints management with disciplinary or protective actions are delivered in accordance with contemporary, regulatory legislation that is in alignment with the cultural context of Cambodia. Developed with ASSIST technical support, the new law on Regulation of Health Practitioners was enacted on November 22, 2016, and reflects contemporary approaches and practices for effective regulation of all health professionals in Cambodia. The purpose of this new Law is to protect the health and safety of the public. This new Law, with other existing legislative instruments including Royal Decrees, Sub-decrees, and Prakas, provides the framework to establish and deliver health professional regulation in Cambodia. Health profession regulation is an important means by which the public of Cambodia and health service employers can readily identify those who are registered health professionals and licensed health practitioners. A registered health professional is a person who has been assessed by their respective Council as holding the requisite professional qualification, skills, and competence to use the title of doctor, dentist, midwife, nurse, or pharmacist. A health practitioner is a registered health professional with a renewable license to practice from their respective Council that recognizes they have maintained professional competence and are "fit to practice" their profession. In FY18, ASSIST continued to provide technical advice and assistance to the five Councils and the Ministry of Health to build on and complete the activities achieved in FY14-17. The project closed out on Friday, March 30th, 2018. The five health profession Councils in Cambodia are: Medical (established in 2000), Dental (established in 2005), Midwives (established in 2006), Nurses (established in 2007), and Pharmacy (established in 2010). These Councils operate at three levels: National Council, five Regional Councils, and 25 Provincial Councils. As of September 30, 2017, the total number of registered health professionals in Cambodia was 27,929, which accounts for approximately 72% of the estimated total number of health professionals in the country. The USAID ASSIST Project aimed to implement the 4th and final year plan of action that aligns with the priority strategic objectives of the five health profession Councils. The project's scale of work in Cambodia involved providing technical advice and assistance to the five Councils and the Ministry of Health to strengthen the system of health profession regulation in the country. The project's activities were focused on building on and completing the activities achieved in FY14-17, with the goal of establishing a robust and effective system of health profession regulation in Cambodia. The new law on Regulation of Health Practitioners, enacted on November 22, 2016, provides the framework for establishing and delivering health professional regulation in Cambodia. The law aims to protect the health and safety of the public by ensuring that health professionals are registered and licensed to practice in accordance with contemporary, regulatory legislation. The law also provides for the monitoring and compliance against standards, as well as complaints management with disciplinary or protective actions. The five health profession Councils in Cambodia have made significant progress in implementing the new law and establishing a robust system of health profession regulation. The Councils have established an appropriately resourced, cost-effective, and efficient body for the governance and operations to regulate all health professionals across all health care sectors. The Councils have also developed a system for monitoring and compliance against standards, as well as complaints management with disciplinary or protective actions. The USAID ASSIST Project has played a critical role in supporting the five health profession Councils in Cambodia to strengthen the system of health profession regulation in the country. The project's technical advice and assistance have helped the Councils to build on and complete the activities achieved in FY14-17, with the goal of establishing a robust and effective system of health profession regulation in Cambodia. The project's activities have focused on implementing the 4th and final year plan of action that aligns with the priority strategic objectives of the five health profession Councils. The project's scale of work in Cambodia has