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Cambodia |
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| Total Treatment Sites: |
12 |
| Treatment Site Location(s): |
| Ang Roka |
Kamong Thom |
| Kampot |
Kiri Vong |
| Koh Thom |
Oddar Mean Chey |
| Pear Reang |
Preah Ket Mealea |
| Romeas Heik |
Sampov Meas |
| Stung Treng |
Kampong Som | |
| Patients on ART: |
4,698 |
| Patient Enrolled: |
7,071 |
| Report in PDF Format: |
Cambodia Country Report |
| |
Background & HIV/AIDS in Cambodia
With a history of turmoil and civil unrest, Cambodia has one of the lowest human development index rankings in the region. The UN Development Program’s 2007-08 Human Development Report ranks the country 131 out of 177 internationally. Life expectancy is 59 years for males and 63 years for females and the infant mortality rate is 6.5% (UNAIDS/WHO, 2008).
Over 95% of the population speaks Khmer but some French is still spoken in urban areas. English is rapidly becoming a popular second language (US State Department).
HIV has been spreading rapidly in Cambodia. The first case of HIV was identified in March 1991 and the first case of AIDS was diagnosed in late 1993 (NCHADS, 2002). In response to outreach programs and condom social marketing, however, HIV prevalence was cut from 2% in 1998 to 0.8% in 2007 and consistent condom use in brothels has increased to 90%. Unfortunately, men are less likely to use a condom with non brothel-based partners and almost half of new infections are among married women.
One in three new infections occurs from mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) while transmission through injecting drug use (IDU) is a serious issue for young people. The most at-risk populations include brothel-based female sex workers, police, and men who have sex with men (MSM). About 10% of TB patients are co-infected with HIV (UNAIDS, 2008).
AHF Activities in Cambodia
The AHF Cambodia Cares program was established in Cambodia in late 2005 and works in close partnership with the Ministry of Health’s National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STI Control (NCHADS) and the Ministry of Defense/Preah Ket Mealea Hospital of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The program covers 11 ART service sites and provides support and technical assistance such as: capacity and skill building trainings for healthcare personnel; continuing medical education programs; specimen transportation to laboratories; referral services; and some financial support for the operational costs of the sites. AHF Cambodia Cares also supports innovative peer educator and counselor projects that increase the number of people accessing voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) while reducing stigma.
In addition to doctors, nurses and counselors, each AHF-supported site is staffed with at least two trained peer-educators who coordinate monthly support meetings for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). These meetings provide PLHA with a dedicated forum to discuss issues related to HIV/AIDS and to identify ways to address and overcome these issues. Participants of the support groups contribute significantly to raising national public awareness about HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. All 11 sites manage home based care teams that provide additional support for adherence. AHF provides care for 4,693 clients, 2,906 of whom are on ART.
Further, AHF Cambodia Cares participates actively in advocacy activities such as the International Candlelight Memorial Day Campaign. For AHF’s Mass Testing Initiative, which was launched to mobilize and bring together large numbers of people in order to provide HIV testing, AHF Cambodia Cares and its partners performed 35,034 HIV tests at events organized around World AIDS Day 2008, and provided treatment referrals to those who tested positive (3.17%).
Models of Care
Direct Care
Technical Assistance & Supervision
HIV Counseling & Testing
Training
