In a bid to bolster Cambodia’s healthcare system, senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Turkish ambassador Ulku Kocaefe are set to collaborate on various projects, including workforce training, hospital management and research.

The ministry said minister Chheang Ra had engaged in discussions with Kocaefe to enhance cooperation between the two nations. It noted that both countries had maintained strong diplomatic relations in the sector, working towards the enhancement of the Kingdom’s healthcare system.

“Kocaefe suggested the ministry assist in drafting an agreement and reiterated that Turkiye is prepared to collaborate across several public health-related sectors,” it said in a September 25 social media post.

The ambassador committed to fortifying support for the ministry’s priority plans. They aim to widen the scope of bilateral cooperation, through close association with the ministry’s technical working groups.

Nuth Sambath, president of the Institute of Medicine, Biology and Agriculture at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, noted on September 26 that the partnership is pivotal as Cambodia requires skilled medical professionals to enhance the well-being of its citizens. He pointed out that while there had been existing joint efforts between the countries, they remain limited in scope.

“In my view, if this effort supports training, it will become exceptionally important, enabling our human resources in the health sector to become more capable and skilled, thus aiding the improvement of community welfare in our country,” he said.