Cambodian Health Minister Calls for Strengthened Rehabilitation for Drug Addicts

Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health and Chairman of the Committee for Drug Addict Treatment and Rehabilitation (C.P.S.C.N.), has called on all ministries, institutions, and stakeholders to continue strengthening close cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of care, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of drug addicts, aiming to contribute to the improvement of public health and quality of life. The Minister stated, "The treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts is not just about participating in the fight against drugs, but it is a contribution to human capital development." This was stated during the opening of the C.P.S.C.N. Committee meeting to review progress and strengthen the implementation of care, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of drug addicts, held on July 31, 2026, at the Ministry of Health. The Minister further elaborated that treating drug addicts is a multi-sectoral task that requires close cooperation between ministries, relevant institutions, and local authorities to ensure that the management, treatment, and rehabilitation of drug addicts are of high quality and enable them to successfully reintegrate into the community. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the quality of treatment, improve the tracking and referral system, and promote prevention based on the principle of "prevention is better than cure," with the participation of authorities and families. Furthermore, strengthening human resource development, expanding treatment services, and promoting the use of simple digital technologies for data management are also important. The meeting also discussed challenges and solutions to further enhance the quality of treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration services for drug addicts.