A diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer felt like the world had collapsed under her feet, recalls 40-year-old Phal Sovichea from Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia. “My knees nearly buckled in front of the oncology building. My husband's face turned pale. He wanted to speak but couldn't open his mouth. Tears just streamed down,” shared the mother of two, as she envisioned not living to see her daughters grow up. 

But luckily, Sovichea had the will, the resources, and the family support to follow through with the treatment. It all started with her feeling a lump in her left breast in February 2024. She traveled to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, to consult a gynecologist. She and her family diligently followed every step, getting an ultrasound and then a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Several rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation followed. Today, Sovichea’s cancer is in remission. She insists that it was her family’s support and the encouragement of skilled doctors that enabled her recovery. 

Sovichea recently shared her story at a multi-stakeholder consultative meeting in Phnom Penh organized by Jhpiego in partnership with the Cambodian Ministry of Health. It brought together Ministry of Health officials, provincial leaders, academic and technical experts, donor and local partners, representatives from professional associations of gynecologists and oncologists, and industry experts.  

“I would like to request that the Royal Government, the Ministry of Health (national and sub-national), and partner organizations like Jhpiego establish breast and cervical cancer treatment programs in all provinces throughout the country,” said Sovichea in a powerful message for all in attendance. “This would create opportunities and provide easier access for all at-risk women to receive consultation and treatment.” 

Sovichea knows that not all Cambodian women have the knowledge, resources, or access to timely cancer detection and treatment. Cancer is now the second leading cause of death from non-communicable diseases in Cambodia, responsible for 14% of all deaths. Women account for over half of new cases (10,624 female cases in 2022) and a similar proportion of deaths. One in every 3 Cambodian women diagnosed with cancer in 2022 had either breast or cervical cancer. Significantly, cancer incidence in Cambodia is rising: if current trends persist, the overall cancer cases are projected to roughly double by 2045 (Globocan, 2022). 

“The Ministry of Health’s vision is clear: reduce the burden of cancer through prevention, early detection, timely diagnosis, and equitable treatment,” said HE Dr. Beauta Rath, Secretary of State for the Cambodian Ministry of Health. “This is captured in our National Cancer Control Plan 2025-2030, launched this year, which lays out concrete, coordinated actions across the continuum of care.”  

The vision of Cambodia’s National Cancer Control Plan 2025-2030 is for the country to have a low cancer burden and high survival rates, where all people affected by cancer can live with dignity and quality of life. The Plan targets increasing the coverage of cervical cancer screening among women (30-49 years) to 70% by 2030 and improving early detection of breast cancer among high-risk women.  

Jhpiego has been a strong partner to Cambodia’s Ministry of Health, supporting the health and well-being of Cambodians since 2006.  

“For the last few years now, Jhpiego has had the privilege of working closely with the Ministry of Health and partners in Cambodia, particularly in areas of maternal and mental health,” said Dr. Parag Bhamare, Technical Lead for Women's Cancer Global Programs at Jhpiego. “Throughout this journey, one lesson has consistently guided us: progress is strongest when built on partnerships, collaboration, and shared purpose.” 

The multi-stakeholder consultative meeting concluded with definitive next steps to move the country’s cancer control plan into its implementation phase, including efforts to: 

• Establish a cadence of in-person and virtual follow-up meetings to sustain momentum 
• Build a community of partners working on women’s cancers to continue dialogue and exchange learnings via an appropriate social media platform 
• Set targets for HPV vaccination, cervical screening coverage, and early detection of breast cancer over the next 12 months 
• Adopt common referral and feedback loops between primary care and hospitals to reduce waiting times and loss to follow-up 
• Launch navigation pilots in selected provinces, with clear metrics for scale-up 
• Standardize training and quality assurance for cervical cancer sampling, imaging, and pathology 
• Consolidate a partner investment map aligned to the National Cancer Control Plan 2025-2030, highlighting gaps that need to be collectively filled. 

Phal Sovichea is hopeful that many more women in Cambodia, like her, will now have the information and timely access to lifesaving cancer care closer to their homes. She had a special message for these women: “Please do not lose hope. You are not alone.” 

Somontha Koy is the Country Director for Jhpiego Cambodia and Indrani Kashyap is the Associate Director, Regional Communications.