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More information
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| Title |
Capacity Building for HIV/AIDS
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| Region |
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| Countries |
Cambodia |
| Project Information |
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| Keywords |
Capacity building, HIV, AIDS
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| Organisations |
John Snow International UK (JSI
UK) |
| Author |
Peter Gordon |
| Document Type |
Report |
| Date of Publication |
July 2000 |
| File Name |
View
File
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| Abstract |
Cambodia is emerging from more
than thirty years of war and disintegration,
the legacy of which is reflected in the fact
that the UN Human Development Index ranking
for the country is currently 153 (our of 175),
the lowest in South East Asia. With an average
per capita income of $249 (Asian Development
Bank), the UN Human Poverty Index is 73 (out
of 78 in developing countries). Around 40%
of households lives below the poverty line
and 90% of the poor live in rural areas. One
in four households in rural areas (and one
in three in Phnom Penh) are female-headed.
The country has a total population of 11.4
million people, (42% of whom are under 15
years old), 17% reside in urban areas and
the remainder in the country’s 23 provinces.
Infrastructure is extremely weak and the distribution
of resources and services focused unevenly
towards the capital. Around 60% of children
do not complete primary school and half as
many women as men over 15 years old ever attend
school. Life expectancy is 54 years. For every
1000 live births, 115 children die before
five years of age. Half of all children under
five years are malnourished.
Cambodians have an exceptionally low level
of health service utilisation, accompanied
by a particularly high level of spending on
ill-health: for example, some amongst the
poorest quarter of the population spend up
to 28% of their income on healthcare. While
at least 85% of Cambodians live in the country’s
provinces, only 13% of health workers are
based there. Government health expenditure
is estimated at 1% of GDP. In 1998 government
spending on health fell below $1 per person
per annum. Indebtedness resulting from attending
to health problems is common with significant
long-term consequences such as removing (especially
girl) children from school. A recent report
by OXFAM reveals that illness is the most
important cause of people losing land and
therefore pushing families and households
into deeper poverty and destitution. The report
suggests that better health services will
be essential in helping poor people to keep
their land. |
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