Strengthening Hospital Infection Prevention Across Borders: IPC Dissemination Workshops in Cambodia and Lao PDR

In 2025 and 2026, two landmark dissemination workshops brought together health officials, clinicians, and researchers from Cambodia and Lao PDR to share evidence, celebrate progress, and lay the groundwork for sustainable infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes – marking the final milestone of a regional research project funded by the Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute (RGHI)

Lao PDR Workshop – 10 December 2025, Vientiane

On 10 December 2025, RGHI Innovation Grant Award Holder, Assoc Prof. Siyan Yi, joined by the NUS Cambodia programme team, Ms. Quach Van Thanh Mai and Ms. Esabelle Yam Lo Yan, attended the dissemination workshop of the project “Developing and Piloting Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Interventions to Reduce the Incidence of Hospital-Acquired Infection in Cambodia and Lao PDR”.

Organised in collaboration between the Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI) and the NUS Cambodia Programme, the workshop was a platform to review results, achievements, and challenges, and an opportunity to discuss implications for future implementation.

Attendees included representatives from national, provincial, and district hospitals, the Lao Ministry of Health, Lao TPHI, the NUS Lao Programme, and Cambodia’s University of Health Sciences. Dr. Dyna Khuon, Head of Public Health Unit at UHS, represented the Cambodia team in sharing experiences for cross-country exchange and discussion.

Key highlights

• Opening remarks by Assoc. Prof. Siyan Yi and Dr. Somphou Sayasone (Deputy Director, Lao TPHI) on the importance of maintaining high IPC standards and of collaborations that support local partners, produce local evidence, and improve health systems.
• Preliminary results from the feasibility and acceptability study in Lao PDR, presented by Dr. Kanchana Thilakoun (Lao TPHI).
• Experiences in project development and implementation in Cambodia, shared by Dr. Dyna Khuon (UHS).
• Facilitated Q&A and reflections on past and future implementation from participants, led by Dr. Somphou Sayasone and Dr. Kanchana Thilakoun.
• Award ceremony presenting Hand Hygiene Champion certificates and certificates of participation to contributing wards.

The event was a unique opportunity for participants to learn about ongoing IPC efforts in both countries, fostering cross-country sharing and learning. Workshop participants also highlighted the importance of collaboration and systematic coordination between various levels of the health system to ensure the sustainability of IPC programmes.

Cambodia Workshop – 26 May 2026, Phnom Penh

On 26 May 2026, RGHI Innovation Grant Award Holder, Assoc Prof. Siyan Yi, led the NUS Cambodia Programme team to the dissemination workshop in Phnom Penh, the second and final workshop marking the close of the project.

Co-organised by the University of Health Sciences (UHS) and the NUS Cambodia Programme, the dissemination workshop brought together key stakeholders to review project results, achievements, and challenges, while exploring pathways for future implementation. Dr. Somphou Sayasone and Dr. Kanchana Thilakoun represented the Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI) from Lao PDR, enriching the workshop with cross-country perspectives.

Participants included representatives from national, provincial, and district hospitals involved in the project and health departments of 24 provinces, alongside officials from the Ministry of Health (MoH).

From concept to action – project highlights

Notable highlights included opening remarks by H.E. Prof. Koy Vanny (Secretary of State at MoH), Prof. Vonthanak Saphonn (Rector, UHS), and Assoc. Prof. Siyan Yi on the importance of robust IPC implementation and locally driven interventions. This was followed by presentations of findings from Cambodia by Dr. Dyna Khuon and Ms. Sreytouch Vong, and findings from Lao PDR by Dr. Kanchana Thilakoun.

“Healthcare quality is inseparable from patient safety, and patient safety is inseparable from infection prevention and control.” – H.E. Prof. Koy Vanny, Secretary of State, Ministry of Health

Lessons learnt – strengthening IPC for the future

Interactive discussions on lessons learned formed a key part of the programme, with participants reflecting on past and future implementation of the project. The programme included an award ceremony, where Hand Hygiene Champion certificates and certificates of participation were presented to the participating wards.

Collaborations beyond research projects

Participants collectively recognised that the project has strengthened participating hospitals by generating local evidence for IPC interventions and clarifying health system priorities in IPC initiatives.

Building a Foundation for Lasting IPC Change

Across both workshops, participants agreed that the project has meaningfully benefited hospitals in Cambodia and Lao PDR – generating evidence for locally developed IPC interventions and identifying health system priorities for IPC initiatives. By convening national and subnational stakeholders from both countries, these workshops underscored a shared vision: that infection prevention is not merely a clinical obligation, but a systems-level commitment requiring local ownership, cross-border learning, and sustained collaboration.

RGHI is proud to have funded this work, and remains committed to supporting researchers and partners across the region as they translate evidence into action, building health systems that protect patients and healthcare workers alike.