3Chapter I Cambodia: Developing a Strategy for Social Health Protection

Since the adoption of the Master Plan for Social Health Insurance 2003-2005 (SHI Master Plan), Cambodia has taken the first tentative steps towards implementing unified social health protection measures and developing the systems needed to achieve universal health insurance coverage. National policies for health strategies and financing, social health insurance, health equity funds and community-based health insurance have all been developed. The health plans have been designed to support the achievement of national development aspirations and Cambodia's Millennium Development Goals by 2015. This document focuses on the need to achieve universal coverage within the overall framework of the development policies and planning of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The main purpose is to investigate issues related to the development of an implementation plan for the draft national Strategic Framework for Health Financing (Strategic Framework) and to contribute to improved inter-sectoral collaboration and dialogue for health planning and financing. This document was originally prepared for discussion at the National Worksho