Background
The Ministry of Health operates capacity-building programs to train primary-care clinicians and community health cadres in clinical screening methods and patient-level data recording under donor-supported projects such as H-EQIP 2. The July 29–31, 2026 training in Kampot focused on integrating HPV self-sampling into primary-care workflows, including counseling, specimen handling, transport logistics, laboratory linkage, and electronic medical record (EMR) documentation.
HPV self-sampling programs involve coordinated elements: community education, guidance for correct self-collection, specimen quality control, transport to reference laboratories, and recording results in facility EMRs for patient follow-up. The training also addressed cascade delivery by preparing participants to provide follow-up training to health center staff and village health support groups (VHSGs) in their coverage areas.
Key Developments
The Ministry of Health held the three-day training from 29 to 31 July 2026 at Khemara Hotel in Kampot province under the H-EQIP 2 (Health Quality and Equity Improvement Project phase 2) sponsorship. A Professor Oum Sittikar, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, presided over the closing ceremony and encouraged careful counseling and correct technique when teaching HPV self-sampling to women. Course content covered community health education on cervical cancer, procedures for HPV self-sample collection, specimen quality management, transport arrangements to laboratories, EMR data entry, and result communication to patients.
Thirty-five participants successfully completed the training course; trainees came from three provinces (Kampong Cham, Siem Reap, and Kampong Chhnang). The full program roster included 52 attendees, comprising ministry technical deputies, provincial health directors, national midwives, representatives from the Department of Health Protection, the National Institute of Public Health, the Department of Budget and Finance, H-EQIP 2 development partners, and JICA delegates.
Operational Implications
The training equips frontline staff with practical steps for implementing HPV self-sampling workflows at district and health center levels, including patient counseling, standardized sample collection, chain-of-custody for specimen transport, and EMR-based recordkeeping. Participants were instructed to develop ongoing training plans to cascade knowledge to health center teams and VHSGs in their service areas, supporting wider adoption of self-sampling methods within routine primary-care services.
Practical Next Steps Identified by Participants
Attendees emphasized the need for clear patient instructions to ensure sample quality and for established specimen transport routes to link collection sites with testing laboratories. The training concluded with certificate awards to the 35 course completers and a ministry call to replicate the cascade training model at provincial and commune levels.
Source
Ministry of Health social media post, 3 August 2026 (source URL provided).
