Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - All nations must unite to beat Covid-19, Bun Heng tells regional WHO forum

All nations must unite to beat Covid-19, Bun Heng tells regional WHO forum

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
The 4th Regional Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres in the Western Pacific is held in Siem Reap from November 28-29. HEALTH MINISTRY

All nations must unite to beat Covid-19, Bun Heng tells regional WHO forum

Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng said the whole world could not completely win the fight against Covid-19 unless all countries unite as one in the battle.

On public health, he said Cambodia has been cooperating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to improve the people’s wellbeing through the development and implementation of stronger policies. The WHO has been providing support and technical advice to assist the Kingdom in creating a more equitable and sustainable public health system.

Bun Heng was addressing the 4th Regional Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres in the Western Pacific, held on November 28-29 in Siem Reap province with more than 200 people from WHO member countries in the Western Pacific in attendance.

“Cambodia has fully reopened the country to socio-economic activities since November, 2021. These achievements were made possible … with the support of the WHO and all development partners, as well as the participation of society as a whole,” he said.

“This joint effort has enabled Cambodia to succeed in the battle to control the pandemic and ensure the sustainability of our health system, especially the provision of essential services across the country, but the world cannot successfully win against Covid-19 unless all countries are working together as one,” he said.

He said he is proud that Cambodia has become a model country for all low-income and developing nations to follow towards their health goals.

According to the health ministry, the WHO has been supporting the Kingdom’s health sector both technically and financially during the Covid-19 outbreak. They include human resources capacity building, and financial support and supplies, which improved Cambodia’s preparation and response to the global Covid-19 outbreak, while increasing its core capacity for managing emergencies and threats to health security.

At the event, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the government and health ministry for successfully responding to Covid-19 by vaccinating most of the country, which led to a relatively rapid reopening of the country in all sectors.

He also thanked Cambodia for playing host to the fourth WHO Western Pacific forum, which had been suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication