Cooperation with China is key to Cambodia's health development: Health Minister

Asked about any difficulty in carrying out China-backed health projects, the minister said that it was important that all cooperation projects should be linked with capacity building in order to improve both health services and health professional capacity.

Bunheng suggested that to deepen bilateral cooperation in medical treatment and public health, the two countries need to encourage the exchange of knowledge, experience and skills among health professionals.

Maternal and child health, communicable diseases control, non-communicable disease control and health system strengthening are the priorities of the ministry's work now, according to Bunheng.

"So far, China has supported us for health system strengthening, communicable diseases control, and capacity building for institutions and health professionals," he said.

According to Bunheng, Li Bin, minister of the China's National Health and Family Planning Commission, is expected to visit to Cambodia in December. During her trip, a MoU on health cooperation will be signed between the two countries.

He said the upcoming MoU will focus on the control of emerging infectious diseases, particularly human avian influenza, prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, traditional medicine, trauma surgery, and prevention and control of Malaria.