Workshop on Priorities and Opportunities in the Transition of Physical Rehabilitation Services to the Ministry of Health
Rehabilitation services play a crucial role for optimising and maintaining the health and well-being not just of persons with disabilities, but also for people who experience injuries or illnesses, people living with chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), and for aged population that are raising. Rehabilitation has been found to reduce the length of stays in hospitals, decrease readmission rates, and prevent costly and potentially life-threatening complications.
On 15-16 June 2023, in collaboration with the Cambodian Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (KhAPO) and the Cambodian Physical Therapy Association (CPTA), was co-organised a workshop on identifying priorities and opportunities in the transition process of physical rehabilitation services from MoSVY to MoH. This workshop was made possible with the support of the Australian Government through the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services (ACCESS) Program.
The primary objective of the workshop was to foster a shared understanding of the priorities and opportunities associated with the integration of physical rehabilitation services into the health systems. It aimed to strengthen collaboration and planning processes among stakeholders to attain sustainable rehabilitation services. The workshop brought together representatives from the users, MoSVY, MoH, Disability Action Council Secretariat General (DAC-SG), the Ministry of Economy and Finance, development partners involved in health rehabilitation, the ACCESS team, and representatives from the Australian Embassy in Cambodia.
The suggested priorities and opportunities identified during the workshop will be compiled in a report to be shared with the joint MoSVY-MoH transition committee.
The Australian Government, through the ACCESS Program, is working in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia and implementing partners to improve physical rehabilitation services in Cambodia. In addition, Australia has been a longstanding supporter of the disability and rehabilitation sector in Cambodia, contributing to the empowerment of persons with disabilities across various domains.
