Cambodia Boosts Health and Education Budgets, Aiming for Socio-Economic Growth

The Cambodian government has announced a significant increase in national budgets for the health and education sectors, underscoring its continued commitment to these vital areas. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Aun Pornmoniroth, who also leads the government working group for Kandal Province, highlighted that the government has consistently prioritized health and education across all mandates. Budgets have steadily grown, complemented by infrastructure development. Specifically, the Ministry of Health's budget is projected to increase from approximately 903.321 billion Riel (around $224 million USD) in 2013 to about 2.670.042 trillion Riel (around $666 million USD) in 2025, marking a nearly threefold rise. Concurrently, the budget for the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport is expected to surge from about 1.132.556 trillion Riel (around $281 million USD) in 2013 to approximately 4.393.805 trillion Riel (around $1.095 billion USD) in 2025, a roughly fourfold increase over the past 12 years. These announcements were made during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new district referral hospital and two school buildings in Ponhea Leu district, Kandal Province, on September 8, 2026. The new Ponhea Leu Referral Hospital will be a four-story building equipped with modern systems such as air conditioning, fire protection, security cameras, and internet connectivity. The two new school buildings will be located within the Tep Prom High School and Hun Sen Preah Thomras High School campuses, each featuring a three-story structure, 9 meters wide, 45.5 meters long, and comprising 15 rooms. These constructions are necessitated by the severe deterioration of some older buildings at the hospital and schools, many of which were originally built in the 1980s. The hospital building also suffered damage from a tornado on May 29, 2026, rendering it unusable. Some buildings of the Ponhea Leu Referral Hospital were constructed as early as 1988 and, despite repairs, are in a severely dilapidated state. The roof of building 'A', which houses the inpatient ward, registration, outpatient consultation, and emergency departments, was destroyed by the natural disaster. Similarly, the buildings at Tep Prom High School and Hun Sen Preah Thomras High School exhibit similar conditions, with some structures being heavily dilapidated due to their construction dating back to the 1980s. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his congratulations and high appreciation for the leadership, officials, healthcare staff, teachers, and provincial authorities of Kandal Province for their diligent efforts in fulfilling their duties. He emphasized that these new constructions represent valuable contributions from the government, reflecting its high regard for continuously improving and strengthening the quality of the health and education sectors, in line with the "Pentagon Strategy - Phase 1," which identifies "human beings" as the number one key priority. The projects are expected to significantly contribute to enhancing the living standards of the people and promoting the socio-economic development of Kandal Province. Information Source: CPP Cambodia