World Bank Approves Additional Financing to Strengthen Health Workforce Education in Cambodia

$13 million in new financing to expand competency-based education for health professionals

The World Bank announced $13 million in additional financing on June 15, 2026, to enhance the quality of health services in Cambodia through improved training for health professionals.

The funds will back Cambodia's Strengthening Pre-Service Education System for Health Professionals Project), bringing the total project investment to $34.5 million. The additional financing will accelerate the country's transition to competency-based education for health professionals and help close the gap between medical knowledge and clinical practice - a critical step toward building a stronger, more competent health workforce.

While health service delivery has been expanding in the country, access to and quality of care still face significant challenges. This project addresses these challenges by reforming how health professionals are trained - moving away from rote, content-based instruction toward a model that emphasizes practical skills and real-world clinical competency. Since 2020, the project has demonstrated strong results bringing in 11 national competency-based curricula, training 85% of health faculty members, equipping skills laboratories and computer-based examination facilities, and standardizing 50 clinical practice sites. The rollout of competency-based education across health training institutions nationwide has helped strengthen the quality of education for health professionals.

The additional financing will expand physical infrastructure at key health training institutions - including new construction and renovation at the Battambang Regional Training Center and the University of Health Sciences, equipping facilities with modern simulation equipment and accelerating the adoption of digital education systems. It will also support the strengthening of the national health training curriculum, standards, and competency-based exit examinations to ensure that graduating health professionals meet rigorous standards. The project's lifespan has been extended to mid-2029.

"Cambodia has made important progress in strengthening the training of its health professionals, and this additional financing will help continue that effort," said Tania Meyer, World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia. "A well-educated, competency-based health workforce is key to improving service delivery and strengthening the health system so it can better serve every Cambodian, in every corner of the country."

The financing is provided through an $11.5 million International Development Association credit and a $1.5 million trust fund grant (from Germany's KfW development bank, complementing the Government of Cambodia's contributions. The Ministry of Health serves as the implementing agency.