Understanding Factors Influencing Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Medicine in Cambodia

SwipeRx was honored to join the Cambodian National Social Protection Council (NSPC) last month in Phnom Penh to share research findings and discuss evidence-based policy options to improve the availability, affordability, and quality of medicines for hypertension and diabetes. 🤝

🌟The meeting brought together representatives from the Royal Government of Cambodia, development partners, private sector actors, and civil society organizations — all working towards the goals outlined in Cambodia’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Roadmap. 

During the meeting:

• NSPC, emphasized the need to address out-of-pocket expenditure on medicine for hypertension, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases to achieve UHC goals
• SwipeRx, shared findings from a digital survey and in-depth interviews with community pharmacists, as well as focus group discussions with pharmacy clients seeking care for diabetes and/or hypertension
• The World Bank, presented policy options with potential to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on medicine in the context of Cambodia research findings and learnings from health market system strengthening efforts in similar markets
• Participants discussed the feasibility of various policy options and recommended strategies for engaging the private sector to strengthen Cambodia’s pharmaceutical supply chain to optimally contribute to quality, affordable care for hypertension and diabetes at community level.
  

We are grateful to NSPC and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Cambodia) for their technical oversight, and to our partners — The World Bank, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, KOICA, KfW, and The Global Financing Facility (GFF) — for supporting the first large-scale, mixed-methods research with pharmacy professionals, clients, and supply chain actors in Cambodia. 👏

📩 Contact NSPC for more information about this research, and SwipeRx to learn how our platform can apply WHO and Health Action International methodologies to efficiently monitor medicine availability and pricing through pharmacies.