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The UNICEF Response
Link to the UNICEF response in Cambodia
link to the epidemic in Cambodia

The Cambodian government has placed HIV/AIDS prevention high on the political agenda, even among a range of competing and urgent priorities. This commitment, which has translated into a vigorous, broad-based national response, has certainly been the main force behind the fall in new infections. However, Cambodia's capacity to cope with HIV/AIDS, particularly in providing treatment for people with AIDS and supporting children affected, remains critically low. HIV/AIDS programming in Cambodia is coordinated by the National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STDs (NCHADS) in the Ministry of Public Health.

Provincial AIDS Committees are taking over a growing share of responsibility for coordinating responses and implementing HIV/AIDS strategy at local level. PACs are chaired by the provincial governor and have a pivotal role in coordinating between stakeholders and facilitating communications between the National AIDS Program and the provincial, district and community levels. They are also responsible for the design and implementation of provincial HIV/AIDS plans that reflect the national strategy while taking into account local realities. Finally, the PACs mobilize local funds and the participation of diverse NGOs, government agencies, local organizations and the private sector in the local HIV/AIDS response.

Activities for World AIDS Day in Svay Rieng province

Annual sentinel surveillance for HIV seroprevalence started in Cambodia in 1994. Twenty-one of the country's 24 provinces has a sentinel site. A behavioural surveillance system was formalized in 1997 covering five major cities and five population groups: sex workers, military, police, moto-taxi drivers and beer promotion girls. Coverage of rural areas and of different cultural and population groups would help to give a clearer picture.

Local and international NGOs have played a key role since the early days of the Cambodian epidemic, supporting the Government and providing a range of social services to complement the limited reach of the public sector. The HIV/AIDS Coordination Committee (HACC) is a network of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS-related issues. MEDICAM gathers more than 70 NGOs working in the health sector and maintains a database of its members' activities.

During 2001-2005, Cambodia aims to achieve the following goals:

  • Widespread awareness of HIV/AIDS and general knowledge of its modes of transmission; adoption of protective behaviours by 60% of the sexually active population and 80% of adolescents and high-risk behaviour groups;
  • Availability of voluntary confidential counselling and testing services in all national and 70% of provincial hospitals;
  • Access to family and community care services, pagoda-based support and peer support groups for 50% of people with AIDS, while reducing stigmatization, discrimination and exclusion;
  • Access to recovery, health care and psychological support, as well as family and community care, for at least 70% of children affected by AIDS.