Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 20 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shared six key recommendations to various institutions to ensure that all citizens receive more effective, equitable, and timely social protection.
The premier spoke on Thursday (Feb. 20) at the opening of the Cambodian Social Protection Week 2025 and launching of the National Social Protection Policy Framework 2024-2035 at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel.
Samdech Thipadei underlined that to achieve the vision and policy direction set by the Royal Government for strengthening Cambodia’s social protection system—particularly in advancing the implementation of the National Social Protection Policy Framework 2024-2035—he is providing the following recommendations to the relevant ministries and institutions:
1. The Ministry of Health must ensure that all citizens, including those with equity cards, at-risk household cards, and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) cards, have timely access to essential healthcare services to prevent any barriers that could negatively impact the implementation of the Royal Government's priority policies moving towards the Universal Health Coverage in Cambodia. In this regard, I also encourage citizens to report any cases where healthcare providers fail to offer proper attention when using any of the aforementioned cards to access healthcare services.
2. The National Social Assistance Fund, as the sole operator of the social assistance system, must strengthen the mechanism for delivering social protection benefits to beneficiaries, address related challenges promptly, and expand outreach efforts to ensure the public, especially targeted citizens, fully understand the benefits of the government’s national social assistance programs.
3. The Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Interior, through sub-national administrations (Capital-Provincial level, District level, Commune-Sangkat level), must ensure that identification processes are carried out effectively, accurately, and promptly, and that regular updates and registrations of targeted citizens are conducted to avoid any lapses in receiving social protection benefits due to expired or unissued Equity Cards. Related to this point, I would emphasize that relevant working group must ensure that those receiving Equity or At-risk Household Cards are indeed citizens facing real hardship to avoid criticism that the issuance of such cards is unfair. Additionally, the sub-national administrations must collaborate closely with relevant ministries and institutions to ensure the effective and timely implementation of the national social assistance programs and social security schemes.
4. Social Security Regulator must continue to strengthen institutional capacity to implement and monitor social security operations effectively, ensuring the sustainability and financial soundness of the social security fund, which guarantees full rights and benefits for members in the long term.
5. National Payment Certification Agency, a part of the National Social Protection Council, must ensure the transparency of payment verification across health service providers under the social protection system nationwide by collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health as necessary and in timely manner.
6. General Secretariat for the National Social Protection Council must enhance its coordination of policy implementation and the monitoring and evaluation of the national social assistance programs and social security schemes to ensure that “No one left behind due to negligence”. Through this monitoring and evaluation process, the National Social Protection Council must regularly monitor the progress and challenges to take into account and implement necessary related policies in a timely manner.
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