(as prepared for delivery)

• Your Excellency, Professor Thir Kruy, Secretary of State to the Ministry of Health and President of the Medical Council of Cambodia
• Professor Tung Rathavy, Director of National Maternal and Child Health Center
• Professor Dr. Lam Eng Hour, Vice President of Medical Council of Cambodia
• Ms. Hem Navy, President of the Cambodian Midwives Council
• Mr. Un San, President of the Nurse Council of Cambodia
• Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

I am delighted to join all of you today. The garment sector is a critical pillar of the Cambodian economy and we all have a part to play in keeping it strong. Healthy people – healthy women – are critical for the garment sector’s productivity but they are particularly critical to Cambodia as mothers, sisters, and daughters. Let’s keep that in mind as we work together.

The passing of this new law marks an important milestone. It demonstrates Cambodia’s commitment to strengthening health professions and ensuring the quality of health services around the country. It will also help the Councils by strengthening their partnership with the Ministry of Health, health development partners, and you, representatives from the garment factories and private sector. 

Your participation, along with representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, GMAC, and apparel brands, is critical. It demonstrates your joint commitment to successfully putting this new law into practice and more importantly improving Cambodians’ lives by strengthening the quality of health services.

Strengthening the regulatory mechanisms for ­­­all health professions is recognized as one of the key priorities for the Royal Government of Cambodia to help guarantee the quality and safety of the country’s health services. High quality health services, in both the public and private sectors, are critical if a population is to be healthy and productive.

Today's workshop is special. It is about more than just sharing the new law. It is also about allowing health professionals who are employed by garment manufacturers as well as private providers to understand and fulfill the requirements of registration and licensing as set by the law.

The development and passage of this law is just one example of the significant, long-term support that USAID has provided to help transform Cambodia’s health system and that has contributed to a stable and more prosperous country.

I would like to end with special thanks to the Worker Health team for organizing this important workshop.

Thank you.