August 2020 Monthly Meeting Held Under High Presidency of Senior Minister His Excellency Ieng Mouly
Senior Minister His Excellency Ieng Mouly, Chair of the National AIDS Authority, presided over the authority’s August 2020 monthly meeting at the NAA Headquarters on the morning of Wednesday, September 2, 2020. The meeting--attended by 45 Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, ladies, and gentlemen, who are vice chairs, advisers, secretary general, director of cabinet, deputy secretaries general, department directors, and deputy department directors in a total number of 45 attendees (including for women)--was to review the results of work activities undertaken by the NAA top management and officials.
Kicking off the meeting, His Excellency the Senior Minister welcomed all the public servants’ attendance and informed them of the items on the agenda and different issues. He then permitted Secretary General HE Chhim Khin Dareth to present a report on the results of the work activities carried out by the NAA top management and Secretariat General in August 2020 and the targets for September.
With the permission granted by His Excellency the Senior Minister, Secretary General HE Chhim Khin Dareth made a presentation, focusing on key points pertaining to the results of the following work activities:
1) Work activities of the NAA top management and Secretariat General.
2) Achievements in HIV/AIDS response.
3) Diverse challenges.
4) Next steps taken for the subsequent month.
In the report, His Excellency the Secretary General gave an account of the lessons leant from and experiences gained in the undertaking of a number of activities as follows:
• The surge in HIV infection is mostly among the risk group (key population), who are young men having sex with men (MSM).
• Leadership in various provinces are advised to abide by Letter 139 and undertake some activities without the need of using funds (for instance, if disseminating information on drug problems, AIDS work should also be included)
• Some difficulties are found relating to those quitting treatment, deaths, and transportation of blood samples for analysis in Phnom Penh due to the person in charge of this task (in Kratie Province) passing away and the AHF sponsor failing to provide funding during the COVID-19 epidemic. The process has not yet resumed.
• All the departments have been performing well, highly responsible, and capable of leading the opening of training sessions and the transfer of works to deputy directors for implementation.
Afterwards, concerning the second topic on the agenda, His Excellency the Senior Minister allowed NAA Vice Chair HE Tia Phalla to give a presentation about the implementation of Notification S.C.N. SS 213 on the response to HIV/AIDS in Kampong Speu Province. HE Tia Phalla reported to the meeting as follows:
1- HIV/AIDS response update:
• Based on the four national strategic plans: strategy one) provide comprehensive prevention, care treatment, and support through multisectoral approaches; strategy two) include the HIV response in the health system and in other sectors; strategy 3) expand the scope of social protection and promote the access to legal services, and strategy 4) boost the Royal Government’s budget up to 50% of the funding for HIV/AIDS response and provide funds to civil society organizations.
• New infections shall be contained to just 300 cases and deaths to just 1,000 persons per year.
• A number of 14,000 HIV carriers have not yet been treated and included in the health system. They are the source of transmission to others.
• Most new HIV infections, up to 32%, exist among the group of young men (below 29 years of age) having sex with men (MSM).
• Communication systems from the national to the provincial, district, and commune levels shall be strengthened.
• Decentralization is better with handing over the management role and health services provision to the administrations of the royal capital city and provinces.
2- Progress in Notification 213 Implementation:
The six policies of Notification S.C.N SS 213 on HIV/AIDS response shall be observed.
• First Policy: Incorporate HIV/AIDS response into the Commune/Sangkat Investment and Development Plans.
• Second Policy: HIV carriers are vulnerable people, who shall receive ID-Poor and Equity Fund cards.
• Third Policy: Hospitals and health centers have funding for HIV response.
• Fourth Policy: Offer funds to civil society organizations working on AIDS.
• Fifth Policy: Ensure budget flow for sustainable HIV response.
• Sixth Policy: Integrate HIV/AIDS care services into the health system.
• Workshop on the implementation of Notification S.C.N SS 213 on HIV/AIDS response was held in Kampong Speu Province, with the attendance of the governor and deputy governor of the Province Governing Committee, chair of the Provincial Council, director of the Provincial Administration, heads of relevant departments in the province, three branches of the Army, governors of the eight districts, heads of the commune planning support offices in the eight districts, and heads and deputy heads of the four operational district offices as well as the NAA’s secretary general, deputy secretaries general, and department directors, director of the National Centre for HIV/AIDS Dermatology and STDs, clerks of Kandal Province’s Prek Ambel commune, and representatives of UNAIDS, HP+, and HACC.
Next, the meeting proceeded to the third item on the agenda, with His Excellency the Senior Minister having a conversation and offering recommendations on the following key points:
1) Transporting blood samples shall not wait for funds from any organizations. Instructions shall be given to find ways to ship the samples to the destination.
2) Excellencies the Advisors shall be present necessarily at all convened meetings. If busy doing something else, they must request permission from His Excellency the Senior Minister. Otherwise, they have to shoulder responsibility for themselves.
3) Congratulations are extended to the public servants who have worked hard during the COVID-19 epidemic.
4) Capacity building program, carried out previously with HE Hor Bunleng as coordinator, is encouraged to allow works to be effective. This is a good point that enables us to seek understanding of problems and resolve them.
5) When going on mission, there should be clear-cut programs and works should be carried out successfully.
6) The implementation of Notification S.C.N. 213 is a crucial point. The work done in Kampong Speu Province is just the introduction. We will put it into practice in the other provinces. While some provinces have not yet been aware of the contents of this Notification 213, some others have already implemented it. Notification 213 is given to them for implementation. Even if there is no advice about funds for the AIDS program in their provinces, they still could do it. Notification 213 is a legal framework and regulations used by Excellencies the Provincial Governors to carry out AIDS work. Since the notification implementation needs lengthy time, we start from transition to sustainability.
7) Provincial, district, and commune levels should be advised to: 1) set up AIDS committees and 2) incorporate the three and five years commune/sangkat development plans.
8) Detect new cases and prevent the spread of HIV. If in doubt, they should offer advice about having blood test, treatment with antiretroviral drugs, and protection with condoms.
9) Excellencies and Lok Chumteavs, the Vice Chairs, with the responsibility to deal with provinces, should be prepared to visit them to present speeches and should possess documents, such as Notification S.C.N. 213, Sub-decree 193 on the transfer of management function and health services provision to the royal capital city and provinces called decentralization, and manuals on the implementation of commune/sangkat social service activities. Before going to work in provinces, HE Tia Phalla is asked to offer advice on the implementation process. For the royal capital city and provinces, such as Phnom Penh and Battambang, Siem Reap, and Banteay Meanchey Provinces, which have signed on the implementation of Fast Track Cities, His Excellency the Senior Minister will arrange the implementation personally.
10) Track the identities of the poor living with HIV to see whether they have already obtained equity funds from the Royal Government and had their names registered in the health system.
11) There must be Interministerial Proclamation 182 on the financial conditions, technical conditions, and financial procedures for the transfer of conditional financial resources to the provincial administrations for the implementation of management role and services delivery.
12) His Excellency the Senior Minister issued instructions to Excellencies and Lok Chumteavs by dividing working groups to be responsible for coordinating workshops on the implementation of Notification S.C.N. SS 213 on HIV/AIDS response in the eight districts of Kampong Speu Province.
13) Prepare the organization of the Second Plenary Meeting and the annual Stocktaking Conference 2020 for two days. Those to make presentation should be present at the NAA meeting room. As for the AIDS committees at ministries and in provinces as well as the AIDS secretariats in the royal capital city and provinces, they should participate via video conference.
14) The Day of December 1 should be organized via video conference, with the event held at the NAA Headquarters in which Buddhist monks, representatives of HIV carriers, and all the NAA officials will be invited to take part. Prepare a message of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo (to be read) and a message of Samdech Kittiprittbandit Bun Rany Hun Sen. A request will be made to have her message broadcast on television. Prior to the Day of December 1, national or non-government institutions are requested to produce HIV/AIDS video spots and hold roundtable interviews.
15) Every organized group meeting should avoid gathering more than 50 members in compliance with the Ministry of Health’s instructions.
16) Organize the presence of the representatives of HIV carriers nationwide who are partners of the NAA and who are able to attend all forums.
At the end, His Excellency the Senior Minister inspired and advised all the officials to carry on with their efforts, focusing on improving their works. Additionally, they should consider results above all, manage to discover new cases, and prevent the HIV spread. If in doubt, advice should be given to people about undertaking blood test, having treatment with drugs, and protecting themselves with condoms. We all shall be resolved to perform our tasks successfully.
The meeting concluded at 11.12 am in an extremely pleasant and cordial atmosphere.
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