Cambodia Community Participation Policy for Health

Community Participation Policy for Health

Roles and Responsibilities of the HCMC in Cambodia

Roles and Responsibilities of the HCMC in Cambodia defined by the Ministry of Health in Community Participation for Health Policy to:

• Oversee and provide strategic guidance for overall management and development of HC services:
• Participate in the quarterly review and implementation of the HC Annual Operational Plan (AoP) and ensure the link between the HC, the AoP and the Commune Investment Plan (CIP);
• Set and periodically review user fee levels in consultation with the VHSG Leaders and the Commune Council; 
• Facilitate the process of the identification mechanism for the poor to be exempted in accordance with the Ministry of Planning guidelines for identification of poor; 
• Support HC in developing/setting-up effective transportation arrangements/mechanisms for referrals. 

• Maintain linkages between the HC and communities through VHSG Leaders and other CP structures and facilitate inter-sectoral coordination to promote Community Participation in health and health-related areas:
• Obtain and act upon comment/suggestions and complaints of community members/service users about the HC management and health service delivery and to identify appropriate solutions and opportunities for improvements; 
• Ensure through the VHSG Leaders and other appropriate channels that important health information is given to the population especially at the times of disease outbreaks; 
• Promote awareness of consumer and provider rights through the VHSG, coordinate health and health-related activities of all health volunteers in the community. 

• Promote healthy behaviour and Community Participation in HC activities with the VHSG 
• Assist in the organization of health campaigns for health activities and communicable disease prevention; 
• Organize and support health service delivery as defined in the Scope of Work for the VHSG; 
• Monitor the quality of services provided by the HC.

• Strengthen an effective functioning of the HCMC and the VHSG 
• Participate in defining the benefit package for the VHSG; 
• Support the functioning of HCMC and VHSGs through resource identification and mobilization, and advocacy.

Roles and Responsibilities of VHSG in Cambodia

Roles and Responsibilities of VHSG in Cambodia were defined by the Ministry of Health in Community Participation for Health Policy in order to support implementation of community-based health activities. The VHSG Leader is the primary point of contact for all health activities in the villages. His/her main roles are to ensure the regular flow of information between the community and the Health Center (HC) and to coordinate the VSHG to implement the Scope of Work for the VHSG in their village. The elected VHSG Leader from each village in the Health Center catchment area is responsible for: 

• Providing feedback from the community to the HC, and keeping the VHSG and the community informed about HC activities; 
• Coordinating training activities for the VHSG to support HC activities in the community; 
• Providing information about HC services and fees to the community; 
• Reporting consumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction to the HCMC regarding the quality of health care in HCs, access to HCs, user fee rates, etc.; 
• Facilitating outreach activities with the VHSG Members, the HC and the community; 
• Promoting client rights and good governance.

One VHSG member can per 10-50 households depending on community needs.

Community Mapping for Remote Areas​ in Cambodia

In the age of globalization and development in the country, Cambodia has hastily been improving various sectors through the frog-step development of the government. Within the public health service, it remains insufficient, especially for the poor. The utilization rate in most public health facilities is low because facilities are poorly equipped, far-away health centers, lack of drugs, low quality of services, and inhospitable service providers mainly in the remote villages of provinces. Among those pity villages, Lac 62 village in Kam Rieng District, Battambang province, has faced some of these difficulties such as long distant road to the health center, more frequencies of visiting health center, and lack of transportation. Due to the far-way distant from the village, information and communication between community and health center becomes feeble. Pregnant women or ill people are hard to reach the health center in case of emergency. Village Help Support Group (VHSG) is inactive mostly and mumbles because of their family income. Some of them decided to migrate to other provinces or across the border to Thailand for earning their living. In this response, relevant government institutions should establish staying rooms nearby health centers to keep patients or pregnant women from returning home without receiving the health services. Development partners and relevant organizations should support the incentive or other motivation to VHSG for referring patients and participating in any meetings with health centers.

Village Health Support Group (VHSG) in Cambodia

Village Health Support Group (VHSG) is a volunteer people who are working to support implementation of community-based health activities such as referring patients in the community to health center, referral hospital, or operational district, mostly based in village to provincial levels in Cambodia.


The VHSG Members in each village were be determined jointly by the community, the OD, and the HCMC. The VHSG Leader and members are formally recognized by the local heath authorities.

Clients and Providers Rights in Cambodia

[BATTAMBANG] Catholic Relief Services (CRS)  in cooperation with HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee (HACC) hosted the Training of Trainer on the community advocacy, role and responsibilities, Clients’ and Providers’ Rights of Village Help Support Group (VHSG) and Health Center Management Committee (HCMC) on 20-26 June 2011 in Epidemic Centre in Battambang province. The training was facilitated by consultants with participation from 34 participants (3 females) from Sub-Sub Recipients (SSR) of HACC and CRS.

Participants were encouraged to share experiences and lesson learnt from its organizations, particularly better practices in working with Health Center (HC), HCMC, commune councils, local authorities, and VHSG. There were 3 main lessons for future trainers included Role and Responsibilities, Clients’ and Providers’ Rights, and Community Advocacy. The training was supported by CRS and HACC under Global Fund through PR-MoH. Participants in this training will be the Trainers in their communities to provide training to VHSG and communities they are working with.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Introduction of Community Participation in Health Sector
2. Roles and Responsibilities of Village Help Support Group
3. Roles and Responsibilities of Health Center Management Committee
4. Coordination Skill
5. Communication
6. Referral System
7. Supporting Governance
8. Monitoring Check List
9. Decision Making
10. Incentive Package

Clients’ Rights

1.  the right to information -you have the right to learn(receive) the information about your health issue, treatments and choosing health care service. 
2. the right to (receive) services -you have the right to receive health care services regardless sex, belief, religion, ethnic origin, the rich or the poor, marital status or where you live. 
3. the right to choice -you have the right to make the free decision to receive or not to receive health care services and to choose any birth spacing method which is appropriate for you. 
4. the right to safety -you have the right to obtain health care services which are safe and effective from trained health worker. 
5. the right to privacy -you have the right to receive health care services or consultations in a private place 
6. the right to confidentiality -you have the right to have all your personal information kept confidential 
7. the right to dignity -you have the right to be treated with courtesy, respect and attention 
8. the right to comfort -you have the right to receive comfortable feeling both physically and mentally during receiving health care service 
9. the right to continuity -you have the right to continue to receive health care services for as long as needed 
10. the right to express opinions -you have the right to express your opinions about the service

Provider’s Rights

1. Right to full and accurate information related to the client's health issues 
2. Right to provide treatment and health care service regardless sex, belief, religion, ethnic origin, the rich or the poor, marital status or place of living. 
3. Right to decide about the method of treatment and health care which is medically sound for the client 
4. Right to provide safe treatment and health care service which is medically sound 
5. Right to provide treatment and health care service in a private place 
6. Right to keep medical records of the client confidential 
7. Right to receive respect and dignity from the client 
8. Right to have an appropriate and comfortable place in providing treatment and health care service for the client 
9. Right to stop or continue treatment or to refer client medically sound 
10. Right to clarify to the client about the provision of treatment and health care service

Guideline for Implementing Client and Provider Rights 2007