Phnom Penh: Today, Administrator Power announced new U.S. initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of the Cambodian people.
Administrator Samantha Power announced a new five-year program to bolster Cambodia’s fight against tuberculosis (TB), a disease that claims thousands of lives in Cambodia every year. USAID’s Community Mobilization Initiatives to End Tuberculosis 2 (COMMIT 2) program will be implemented by KHANA, the Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance. USAID has committed $4 million for the first year of the program. Through COMMIT 2—one of USAID’s largest direct local awards ever to a Cambodian organization—USAID will partner with Cambodia to accelerate active case finding by working in and with local communities to improve TB screening and diagnosis, improve digital reporting of TB cases, and increase access to TB preventive therapy.
The administrator also announced a commitment of over $1 million, in partnership with UNICEF and the Royal Government of Cambodia. This includes supporting a first-of-its-kind national survey to evaluate the levels of heavy metals like lead and arsenic in children, pregnant women, the environment, and products. Survey results will support the Royal Government of Cambodia in making evidence-based decisions to improve policy, standards, and regulations around heavy metals so that more Cambodians can live healthier, more productive lives.
Finally, Administrator Power announced $12 million in new funding to support a range of demining activities, including landmine clearance and risk education for local communities. To date, U.S. partners have cleared more than 1.5 million landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) from approximately 230,000 acres of land in Cambodia, and continuing this work will help save lives and create a safer, healthier Cambodia.
Improving health security in Cambodia is an integral part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy. We know that we are all safer when infectious diseases, like TB, are less prevalent, and we are all stronger when there is equitable access to healthcare. These investments advance our shared interests while speaking to the deeper partnership that exists between USAID and the people of Cambodia. USAID remains firmly committed to helping Cambodia reach its development goals by improving the health of the Cambodian people, including by ending TB as a health threat by 2030, preventing lead exposure in mothers and children, and strengthening capacity to confront future public health threats.
Photo by: U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh, Cambodia
