Table 2.
Career pathway of health workforce in Cambodia (1980s to 2016)
| 1980s | 1990s | 2000–2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Context | Post Khmer Rouge regime, K5 (the period between 1985 and 1989 when the government set a plan to seal Khmer Rouge guerrilla infiltration routes into the central Cambodia) (start rebuilding health sector) | Paris Peace Accord; first election held in 1993; health sector reform | Full peace achieved in 1997; continuation of health sector reform (user fees, Health Equity Fund, health coverage plan, health workforce development plan) |
| Entering medical school |
▪ Government’s demand for HWs to respond to needs of health service after KR ▪ Recruitment: based on the rapid response to the needs of health care services |
▪ Government’s policy encouraged people to enter health workforce ▪ Recruitment: based on the need of health care services and personal interests in medical field |
▪ Strong interest from individuals for medical education (wider awareness of medical education) ▪ Presence of private medical college ▪ Recruitment: based on needs of health services and enhancing quality of health workforce |
| Serving health workforce and leadership |
▪ Women were discouraged to enter workforce: insecurity and gender norms, no restrictions for men ▪ Social recognition & appreciation of female health workers in staff-shortage/remote/under conflict areas |
▪ Stigmatization of female workers on night shift, working far away from home ▪ Less support from male colleagues |
▪ No social stigmatization on girls entering medical education ▪ Asymmetrical gender norms: expected roles of women to undertake household chores and child rearing ▪ Institutional support: presence of Gender Working Group in sub-national level |
| Advancing clinical skills |
▪ Existence of policy to support the continuation of medical education but only: • Single women • Married women but not having children yet • Married with support from husband |
▪ No clinical advancement among managers in this period ▪ Lack of institutional support for clinical progress ▪ Women are obligated to undertake family and child rearing responsibilities |
▪ Married women were able to continue their medical education ▪ Presence of male involvement in sharing domestic chores and child raring |