Phnom Penh, 29 April 2025 – This week marks a major milestone in Phnom Penh’s journey to transform cancer care as the city officially launches its first portfolio of cancer care projects, developed through the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can) initiative.
Led by local institutions and validated by the Phnom Penh City Cancer Coordination Group and Cambodia’s Ministry of Health, the 12 projects reflect a collective commitment to strengthening the city’s health system and reducing inequalities in access to cancer care.
Since joining the C/Can initiative in 2022, Phnom Penh has brought together over 80 health professionals and key stakeholders across the public and private sectors in an inclusive process to identify critical gaps in cancer care and design sustainable, evidence-based solutions.
In March 2024, data was collected across all major cancer care institutions in the city. Following a collaborative analysis of the findings by local technical teams, the most pressing challenges were prioritised, leading to the co-creation of 12 project plans by December 2024. These plans were reviewed and validated in early 2025.
The needs assessment highlighted several critical areas for strengthening in Phnom Penh’s cancer care services:
- Although university training exists for laboratory technologists, specialised training pathways for clinical lab physicians, haematologists, biochemists, or immunologists is an area requiring support. Solutions include collaborating with the Ministry of Health and universities to standardise professional roles and strengthen specialised training for laboratory staff.
- While some institutions have begun adopting a team-based approach to cancer care, there is currently no citywide policy or guideline in place to support the consistent use of Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings. To strengthen this practice, experts have proposed the development of operational guidelines for MDT case discussions, alongside targeted capacity-building for cancer care professionals involved in team-based care.
- Radiotherapy services for the entire country are concentrated in just three facilities in Phnom Penh, leading to long waiting times at certain hospitals. The city will develop a comprehensive radiotherapy development plan and formalise referral pathways to better manage patient flow.
- Psychosocial support for cancer patients remains limited, with few formal peer support networks. To address this, plans are to establish cancer patient and survivor networks that can provide vital peer support to newly diagnosed patients.
At the official launch event, participated by local cancer care stakeholders, existing and potential partners, project team leaders presented the scope, goals and strategies of each project, which collectively aim to deliver lasting improvements across the cancer care continuum—from diagnosis to treatment, palliative care and system-level coordination.
The projects represent more than a list of activities: they reflect a locally owned roadmap for cancer care in Phnom Penh,
said Pich Bunthoeun, City Manager for C/Can in Phnom Penh.
The commitment and expertise of local institutions are at the core of this strategic plan, shaping a programme that is contextualised, inclusive, and fit for purpose.
The 12 projects are guided by C/Can’s framework, which helps cities co-create sustainable change through multiple technical strategies, notably enhanced health coordination, robust policies, higher standards, improved processes, strategic service upgrades, implementation research, and capacity development.
Phnom Penh is proving that real change in cancer care happens when solutions are grounded in local knowledge and built through collaboration,
said Chika Kitajima, Regional Director for Asia at City Cancer Challenge.
These projects will not only strengthen the city’s health system, but also provide a replicable model for other cities in Cambodia and beyond.”
In addition to launching the projects, Phnom Penh stakeholders had the opportunity to participate in a two-day implementation science workshop co-hosted with the University of Health Sciences of Cambodia and co-delivered in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, School of Population and Global Health. This workshop helps equip local teams with the tools and knowledge to apply an implementation science methodology to their projects, ensuring that implementation strategies for evidence-based interventions are systematically designed, adapted, and evaluated for long-term sustainability and impact.
This workshop marks a key milestone within C/Can’s research initiative, fostering an embedded implementation science approach through our technical support across C/Can cities
said Meritxell Mallafré-Larrosa, Research Lead at C/Can.
With this approach, we aim to develop research capacity locally to ensure sustainable contribution to the global health community.
By launching this portfolio of cancer care projects and embedding implementation science, Phnom Penh joins a global movement of cities driving innovation, equity and sustainability in cancer care. The work ahead is ambitious, but with local leadership at the helm and technical cooperation as the foundation, the city is well-positioned to deliver real, measurable impact.
The patients cannot wait. They are not just numbers in a report — they are our mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, and friends
said Isabel Mestres, CEO at City Cancer Challenge (C/Can).
They are counting on us — on all of us — and we can make it happen! We are deeply honoured to walk this journey alongside you.
C/Can would like to thank all its partners, and particularly Sanofi, which is supporting the City Engagement Process in Phnom Penh.
