Access to Treatment for Diabetes and Hypertension in Rural Cambodia: Performance of Existing Social Health Protection Schemes

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pose a challenge to Cambodia’s health system. Medicines for NCDs are on the National Essential Medicines List but no clinical guidelines support their utilization. Two social health protection schemes aimed at the informal sector population exist targeted at NCD patients. Using a cross sectional household survey, this study examines the performance of these various schemes. The study found that 55% of respondents with NCDs did not belong to any scheme. The majority were diagnosed in the private sector. Outpatient treatment cost was higher in the private sector and when using multiple providers. The study recommends that the benefit packages of existing social health protection schemes and services in the public health sector should be adjusted to better cater for the needs of people living with NCDs in rural Cambodia.

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Bigdeli M, Jacobs B, Men C, Nilsen K, Van Damme W, Dujardin B. Access to treatment for diabetes and hypertension in rural Cambodia: performance of existing social health protection schemes. PLOS ONE. 2016;11(1):e0146147. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0146147