The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) has significantly enhanced mental healthcare services in Cambodia by equipping over 150 mental health professionals in Phnom Penh with advanced skills and knowledge. This initiative, part of the Enhancing Mental Healthcare Services project, is expected to benefit more than 225,000 patients. Launched in 2022 in collaboration with the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital (KSFH), the project aligns with Cambodia’s Mental Health Strategic Plan 2023 to 2032.
A notable achievement of the project is the development and pilot implementation of a Suicide Risk Assessment Framework and Guidelines at KSFH. This framework, created with the help of Singapore International Volunteers (SIVs), aims to improve early detection and intervention for at-risk individuals. The initiative also focused on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment, introducing the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) to enhance diagnosis and management.
Participants in the project received specialised training, including visits to Singaporean healthcare institutions, to gain insights into evidence-based interventions. The project also produced videos to raise mental health awareness and combat stigma in Cambodia.
Prof Yim Sobotra of KSFH highlighted the collaboration’s impact, stating it has expanded their capacity to manage suicide risk and improve OCD treatment. Dr Jared Ng, SIV Team Lead, expressed hope that the project would foster more open conversations about mental health.
The SIF plans to launch a new initiative later this year to further improve health outcomes across Southeast Asia.
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