Phnom Penh (FN), Dec. 14 – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Cambodia’s Ministry of Health today handed over 14 ambulances to as many provincial hospitals in a ceremony at the Ministry of Health, to improve emergency clinical care access in the country.

The ambulances are provided under a USD 5 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and Pacific (JFPR) under the ongoing additional financing for the Greater Mekong Subregion Health Security Project.

“As Cambodia continues to enhance its healthcare infrastructure, these ambulances and oxygen plants will play a critical role in improving emergency response capacity and ensuring clinical care and essential services reach communities across the country, touching the lives of over six million people in rural provinces.” said ADB Country Director for Cambodia Jyotsana Varma. “The Asian Development Bank is committed to supporting Cambodia in building a more resilient health system that can respond effectively to both everyday healthcare needs and public health emergencies. This partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration to advance health security and improve lives.”

In addition to providing ambulances, the project is equipping each provincial hospital with an oxygen plant to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply. The project also focuses on training hospital technicians to operate and maintain oxygen plants and ambulances, as well as frontline health staff to identify and respond to people affected by gender-based violence and mental health issues.

The project has helped strengthen national disease surveillance and outbreak response systems by enhancing outbreak coordination and contact tracing, as well as training rapid response teams in risk assessment, risk analysis, and outbreak management.

The event was led by Minister of Health Chheang Ra, Miyoshi Asagi, Councilor of the Embassy of Japan in Cambodia, and Varma.

Funded by the Government of Japan, the JFPR has supported projects in poverty alleviation, improving livelihoods, and safeguarding the environment in Cambodia for over two decades.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.
=FRESH NEWS