Roundtable discussions and audience question-and-answers will put contraceptives and sexual and reproductive health and rights centre stage at “Let’s Talk Sexual and Reproductive Health”
DKT Mekong is inviting the healthcare community and SRHR professionals to an open forum on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Cambodia!
“Let’s Talk Sexual and Reproductive Health” will bring together key stakeholders from Cambodia’s healthcare and SRHR sectors for thought-provoking panel discussions and audience Q&A sessions on Monday, October 14th. Hosted at Phnom Penh’s Oakwood Hotel in the heart of the capital, the event represents a milestone in the nation’s rapidly expanding SRHR space. As the primary sponsor of “Let’s Talk Sexual and Reproductive Health”, the event will also mark the official entrance of international non-profit and non-governmental organisation DKT Mekong into the Cambodian market and highlight DKT’s sustainable and unique model and its full range of contraceptives, family planning, and SRH products. Most importantly, members of the healthcare industry will get the chance to listen, get answers and share their thoughts with some of Cambodia’s leading experts and advocates in the SRHR field.
As the event’s organiser and host, DKT Mekong representatives will kick things off and introduce the group to the Cambodian community. Along with earning its place as a leading provider of SRH products in Vietnam for the past 30 years or since 1993, DKT Mekong has also played a pivotal role in SRHR outreach and education in vulnerable communities across Southeast Asia. Today, the group is teaming up with distributors DKSH and Meet Heng to provide high-quality, affordable reproductive health products in the Kingdom. Representatives from each of these key partners will share their thoughts on how this working relationship will support existing efforts to improve the SRHR landscape in Cambodia.
Also presenting will be H.E Professor KORN Aun, President of CAGE and Head of Gynecological Department at Calmette hospital, along with additional speakers and panellists representing healthcare practitioners working on the frontlines to expand SRHR and improve access to contraceptives and women’s healthcare across the country. Considering the importance of these types of groups in Cambodia’s SRHR landscape, the role of civil society organisations in raising awareness and providing reproductive healthcare will be a topic of roundtable discussions.
Also on the agenda will be conversations on the specific challenges and opportunities of promoting contraceptive use and family planning in Cambodia. Cultural norms and stigma around sex, sexuality, and gender equality present significant barriers, as highlighted by recent statistics. The latest Demographic and Health Survey report (2021-2022) indicates that 9% of Cambodian women aged 15-19 have been pregnant, with 7% having given birth, 3% currently pregnant, and 2% experiencing a pregnancy loss. Induced abortion rates increase with the number of pregnancies and are higher in urban areas (11%) compared to rural areas (7%).
The UNAIDS 2024 report estimates 1,400 new HIV infections in 2022, with males accounting for 79% of these cases. Despite a significant reduction in new infections since the peak of the epidemic, the decline has slowed, particularly among key populations, including female entertainment workers, men who have sex with men, transgender women, and people who inject drugs.
Clear and open communication are essential if these healthcare and family planning solutions are to be implemented at scale and positive outcomes achieved in the country. This social context makes “Let’s Talk Sexual and Reproductive Health” all the more important as it brings these traditionally sensitive topics into the open, where they can be discussed with the benefit of expert knowledge and communicated to the healthcare professionals serving the public.
DKT Mekong’s Regional Representative, Rodrigo Portugues, shared his thoughts, “[At DKT Mekong,] we believe that open, informed conversations about sexual and reproductive health are key to improving access and breaking down stigmas. ‘Let’s Talk Sexual and Reproductive Health’ provides an important platform for healthcare professionals and organisations to come together, share knowledge, and collectively contribute to the reproductive healthcare space in Cambodia.”Mark your calendars and save the date, “Let’s Talk Sexual and Reproductive Health” is coming to give you all the answers you’ve been looking for on contraceptives, family planning and sexual health.
DKT International, DKT Mekong’s parent group, was founded in 1989 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to addressing critical global health needs through social marketing. Its focus areas include family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention, and safe abortion. DKT International has achieved significant health impacts by operating primarily in the private sector while also supporting public health initiatives. The organisation frequently collaborates with government health facilities to ensure broad market coverage.
This is a sponsored article from DKT Mekong.
