Phnom Penh, 12 May 2023 – Lifesaving equipment to support safe deliveries for women including 10 new ambulances, 140 midwifery kits, 10 vacuum extractors, and 400 sets of non-pneumatic anti-shock garments were handed over to the Ministry of Health by the Government of Japan through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today. This equipment which helps towards ensuring that every delivery is safe also contributes towards the Ministry’s efforts in building a resilient and responsive health care system that provides improved access to quality sexual reproductive maternal and neonatal health services for its most vulnerable populations, especially women and babies.
“Receiving the ambulances and lifesaving medical equipment will help to strengthen the healthcare system and provide the highest quality of care, allowing communities to utilize health services appropriately, especially for women and newborn in the remote provinces. The Ministry of Health would like to thank the Japanese Government and UNFPA Cambodia for supporting Cambodia's health system and ensuring all mothers' and newborns' health are safe during childbirth.” – said H.E. Dr. Youk Sambath, Permanent Secretary of State, Ministry of Health.
The ambulances will be deployed to increase access to life saving services and interventions in timely manner for women and newborn and other emergencies. The vacuum extractors are used to save mothers and newborns from prolonged labor, the midwifery kits which contain instruments for safe delivery are for midwives to use during delivery, and the Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) is a new instrument to prevent shock due to the bleeding during delivery.
These instruments are necessary to save lives. The Ministry of Health is grateful for this generous and timely support from the Japanese Government to the Ministry through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
His Excellency Ueno Atsushi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia says, “This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Cambodia. The Government of Japan has been supporting the efforts to save maternal and newborn lives and improve child health in Cambodia for a long time. Now the health conditions have improved, however, there still remains a lot of difficulties especially in many provinces. We would like to keep providing wide ranging support to enhance the quality of life of the Cambodian people. I wish that the equipment will contribute to the improvement of health, especially for the women, newborns, and children.”
“These Ambulances and lifesaving medical equipment will allow improved access for all women to the support and care they need during the birth of their children. With training for quality of care provided by UNFPA and partners, the ambulances and equipment also contribute towards building a responsive, resilient health care system where everyone has access to quality care, and no one is left behind, especially during childbirth.” – said Ms. Sandra Bernklau, the UNFPA Country Representative to Cambodia. “We are grateful to our partners, the Government of Japan and the Royal Government of Cambodia, for working together towards these shared goals.”
UNFPA is working closely with the Royal Government of Cambodia towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights. UNFPA focuses on achieving three transformative results which are: a Cambodia where no women die giving birth; where all families have access to family planning support and commodities; and where all women and girls are free from violence and abuse.
