SEAM: Country Programs: Cambodia

Cambodia

	Country Assessment

	Proposed Country Strategy

Internet Products and Electronic Tools

Conferences

Tools & Resources

Site Map

Cambodia - Proposed Country Strategy

Develop Group Purchasing Cooperative and a Network of Accredited Providers

The strategy aims to improve availability and affordability of quality essential medicines in Cambodia. The initial phase would address needs in poor urban areas. Later, it could be expanded to rural and more remote areas. The strategy involves establishing—

A performance-based network of accredited pharmacies, drug depots, and drug sellers to provide quality essential products and patient information services at reasonable prices
A Pharmacist Association of Cambodia-linked group-purchasing cooperative to supply quality-assured products
An accreditation program (with access to basic drug and retail outlet management training) and access to the group-purchasing cooperative's products to provide strong incentives for outlets to become licensed and accredited, and join the network.

Providing quality products and counseling aids to non-network provider groups (such as Cambodia Midwives Association) would be a means of providing outreach to rural areas.

SEAM also recommends organizing a network of accredited health care providers, both urban and rural, as well as public, NGO, or private, to deliver quality medical care. Linkage should be established between prescriber and dispenser networks so that patients receiving appropriate care from a physician or other health care provider would be able to expect quality products at pharmacies belonging to the network.

For the longer term, a third component would concentrate on laying the groundwork to involve third-party payers-insurers and employers, such as the garment manufacturers-who are required to provide some level of health care and local NGOs providing health care services for their patients or employees. Their involvement would likely be a powerful incentive for appropriate performance of drug outlets relative to price and quality of pharmacy services. Initial work would focus on organizing the network in areas where pharmacies and drug depots are concentrated; later, the project would extend the network to rural areas.

Individual Initiatives

Cambodia was not selected as one of the countries for SEAM country program implementation. The assessment results as well as the proposed strategy for addressing access gaps were made available to the government and other donor programs for potential follow-on.