Global Health - Cambodia

CDC provides technical and financial support to the MoH and the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology, and STDs to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, strengthen blood safety activities, increase voluntary confidential counseling and testing, and improve and expand HIV care and treatment programs. CDC also provides technical leadership and assistance to the MoH to strengthen epidemiologic analysis, surveillance, and operations research, and to improve laboratory and workforce capacity.

CDC provides technical support to the national TB prevalence survey, a critical element for evaluating disease burden and program impact. CDC is helping to improve laboratory diagnosis of TB by introducing liquid culture and other techniques. The agency worked with partners in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand to conduct clinical research on TB screening and diagnosis among people living with HIV. Once an improved, evidence-based approach was identified, CDC worked with the Cambodian MoH to revise guidelines and to implement the activities that will lead to better diagnosis and earlier treatment to prevent mortality related to TB.

CDC contributes to WHO’s Global Influenza Network; addresses the U. S. government strategy for preparedness, communication, surveillance, and response; and helps to build country capacity to respond to seasonal and pandemic influenza. In addition, CDC works with the Cambodian government and partners to identify and characterize circulating influenza viruses and to support early identification of novel influenza viruses such as avian influenza.

As a partner in the President’s Malaria Initiative in the Greater Mekong Subregion which includes Cambodia, CDC provides technical assistance to strengthen malaria control activities including guidance for operations research, monitoring, and evaluation. CDC staff also collaborate with WHO on the Artemisinin Resistance Containment Project, which addresses the regional problem of resistance to artemisinin, an antimalarial drug. To address the problem of Japanese encephalitis (JE), CDC collaborates with the National Immunization Program of the Cambodian MoH to conduct population-based meningoencephalitis surveillance in two provinces. CDC is assisting the MoH monitor disease rates before and after a mass vaccination campaign to assess the proportion of meningoencephalitis prevented by the JE vaccine.

CDC provides guidance to the MoH and WHO to develop strategies and to provide ongoing guidance for monitoring Cambodia’s progress towards achieving the WHO Western Pacific Region’s twin goals of measles elimination and hepatitis B control. CDC also provides technical assistance in developing strategies to maintain the polio-free status of the region, including Cambodia. Although Cambodia was certified as polio free in 2000, low coverage with polio vaccine and substandard acute flaccid paralysis surveillance has resulted in the country being at high risk for wild polio importation.

CDC is working with the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation to reduce the number of fatalities, serious brain traumas, and injuries due to road traffic crashes in Cambodia. CDC supports surveillance activities and surveys to assess knowledge, attitudes and actual helmet use to inform programmatic activities. CDC is also supporting the implementation and analysis of a survey to measure violence against children in Cambodia.

In partnership with the MoH and WHO, CDC is implementing a six-month training program to develop local competencies for disease surveillance and outbreak response. CDC is also supporting the establishment of a similar program for animal health workers and is assisting in the development of joint outbreak investigation protocols and improved communication during zoonotic disease outbreaks.

In 2013, a CDC-supported assessment of 28 laboratories identified key gaps in biosafety and security. In partnership with the MoH and laboratory network, CDC is providing support to develop a national action plan and developing local capacity to monitor and maintain critical equipment such as biosafety cabinets.

CDC is working with Cambodia to improve their ability to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats.  This work helps meet the U.S. commitment to assist at least 31 countries  in reaching the targets outlined in the Global Health Security Agenda. CDC’s extensive global health presence and experience are critical to achieving these targets.