Geneva: On 20 May 2026, His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health, held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Neelam Dhingra, Vice President and Global Chief Patient Safety Officer at Joint Commission International (JCI), the largest and globally recognized healthcare quality accreditation body in the United States.

The meeting aimed to advance ongoing collaboration in preparing Cambodia for global‑level patient safety accreditation, beginning with participation, reflection, and implementation within national hospitals, and subsequently expanding to all allied hospitals and the community.

Cambodia has been collaborating with JCI to implement the JCI–Patient Safety Pathways at both the national level and in selected provinces. This follows JCI’s assessment of three model hospitals, through which internationally recognized JCI patient safety criteria have been integrated into the Cambodian Hospital Accreditation System (CHAS).

His Excellency the Minister emphasized the health sector’s core vision: “There is no quality without safety,” highlighting that “patient safety” is the first pillar for delivering healthcare that is truly high‑quality, effective, equitable, and people‑centered.

Dr. Neelam Dhingra expressed admiration for the leadership vision of Cambodia’s health sector and the Royal Government of Cambodia, which has demonstrated strong commitment to policies that support patient safety for the Cambodian population and all patients in Cambodia. She further noted that Cambodia’s progress serves as a model for the world, and that the country should prepare to share its best practices in Patient Safety Pathways globally, as many countries are eager to learn from Cambodia’s experiences. She also affirmed that JCI will continue to stand with Cambodia, providing ongoing support and technical guidance.