Drawing on the principles of political economy analysis and the knowledge, policy and power framework, this report analyses the dynamics of decision-making in the health sector in Cambodia.
It takes a broad view of policy-making, looking at the role of knowledge and evidence from planning to implementation. It offers an overview of the organisation of the health sector and provides recommendations for AusAID Cambodia and other international agencies working with the sector.
The report finds:
The health sector is marginal to core political interests in Cambodia and donors play an influential role
A relatively strong demand for knowledge in policy is belied by selective implementation, and challenges of institutional misalignment, poor pay and low capacity
The supply of knowledge on health in Cambodia is fragmented and there are many missed opportunities for linking research and policy
Politically savvy programming should attempt to ‘go with the grain’ of some political economy dynamics, facilitating and enabling government ownership of service delivery
Research and technical support at decentralised level should be given high priority
