Quarterly Review 1 – 2026

Transition and Realignment

  1. Executive Summary

The first quarter of 2026 represents a historic turning point for MoPoTsyo. Following the strategic groundwork laid in late 2025 regarding the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) expansion of primary care services , Q1 saw the formalization of a mandatory exit strategy for our traditional Revolving Drug Fund (RDF) and direct clinical services. While Q4 2025 was characterized by piloting “new ways” of collaboration and navigating humanitarian challenges in Banteay Meanchey , Q1 2026 shifted abruptly toward a structured handover of services to the public sector.

Despite the announcement of a cessation of our revenue-generating activities within public facilities, MoPoTsyo has secured a transition period through September 2026. This period is vital for fulfilling existing medicine procurement obligations, managing human resource downscaling, and pivoting our organizational focus toward pure health promotion and school-based health initiatives.

  1. Operational Baseline and Contextual Continuity

At the close of 2025, MoPoTsyo was navigating a complex landscape where the MoH Central Medical Store (CMS) began increasing the supply of chronic disease medications to primary care. Our Q4 2025 report highlighted several critical baseline factors that shaped the start of 2026:

  • Medicine Shortages: Persistent stock-outs of essential items like insulin, syringes, and various hypertension medications (Enalapril, Losartan) continued into the new year.
  • EMR Integration: The introduction of the public Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system presented both an opportunity for stock tracking and a significant workload challenge for facility staff.
  • Security Context: The bombing and civilian displacement in Banteay Meanchey at the end of December necessitated a focus on humanitarian medical supply delivery, a tension that lingered as we entered January.
  1. Regulatory Developments and the Handover Mandate

The defining event of the quarter occurred on January 28, 2026, during an official meeting chaired by H.E. Ngov Kang. The MoH explicitly stated that MoPoTsyo’s direct sales to patients within public facilities must cease, asserting that the CMS now has sufficient capacity to manage NCD supplies.

MoPoTsyo successfully negotiated a gradual phase-out rather than an overnight stop. Our justification for this transition period rested on two pillars:

  1. Supply Chain Commitments: We had already committed to and partially paid for approximately 20 million tablets and 250,000 insulin syringes in early 2025 to prevent member shortages.
  2. Financial Liability: Revenue from these final sales is required to settle outstanding debts and facilitate a compliant “sole proprietorship” closure during the upcoming Tax Audit.

By January 30, we submitted a comprehensive handover schedule covering 35 service locations across 12 provinces, targeting a complete cessation of RDF sales by September 30, 2026.

  1. Field Implementation: The Case of OD Stoong

The practical application of this handover began in February 2026, OD Stoong. The transition in Stoong serves as a primary model for the rest of the year.

Key findings from the Stoong handover include:

  • Clinical Continuity: The Stoong Referral Hospital has assigned a doctor with endocrine skills to conduct specialized consultations every Thursday.
  • Supply Gaps: While the OD Director expressed confidence in MoH supplies, the CMS provides insulin, but it still does not procure necessary 30G insulin syringes.
  • Volunteerism vs. Employment: The role of Peer Educators is currently in flux. While MoPoTsyo will continue paying a fixed monthly fee for three months to encourage community-level volunteering, the MoH currently lacks the budget to integrate them into the formal paid structure, citing the existing Village Health Support Groups (VHSG) as the primary community arm.
  1. Supply Chain and Logistics

Throughout Q1, we focused on receiving the final international shipments ordered in 2025.

  • Stock Arrival: One container of medicines and one container of insulin syringes arrived in the Phnom Penh port in February. By late March, the much-needed 30G insulin syringes from UNICEF were moved into our stocks.
  • Final Clearances: Only one shipment of Simvastatin remains pending CDC permission. We anticipate all remaining inventory will be in our warehouse before the Khmer New Year.
  • Donations: MoPoTsyo donated overstock of 172,000 tablets of Aspirin (75mg) to the CMS in March.
  1. Human Resources and Financial Planning

The shift in our operational mandate has necessitated a painful but necessary reduction in workforce. In March, we held a general assembly with all 37 salaried employees to discuss the “slimming down” of the organization. We have committed to a gradual reduction in staff numbers as service locations close and are providing active support for employees seeking new opportunities in the private or NGO sectors.

Financial planning for 2026 is exceptionally complex due to “abnormal” cash flow patterns. We are currently balancing:

  • Temporary spikes in sales as patients stock up ahead of closures.
  • Rising fuel costs against reduced travel requirements.
  • The costs of ending rental contracts and repairing buildings for return to owners.
  1. Future Strategic Outlook: Health Promotion and Education

As the RDF model winds down, MoPoTsyo is pivoting toward pure health promotion to align with donor requirements and MoH strategies.

  • School Health Initiative: We have begun collaborating with the Provincial Department of Education (PED) in Svay Rieng. Initial meetings in Romeas Hek district were highly positive, and we are now developing a specific proposal to support school-based health activities.
  • Advocacy and Networking: Our team remains active in the policy sphere. Notably, Ms. Lao Sothea was elected to the Cambodia Network of People with NCDs (Cam-PWNCD), and our staff continue to present our handover progress at Provincial Technical Working Group (ProTWG) meetings across Banteay Meanchey, Svay Rieng, and Kampong Cham.
  1. Conclusion

Q1 2026 has been a period of rapid adaptation. By securing a nine-month window for handover, MoPoTsyo is ensuring that its 20-year legacy of patient support is not abruptly terminated, but rather integrated into the growing public infrastructure. Our focus for Q2 will be the continued monitoring of patient transitions in Stoong via our newly prepared stakeholder survey and the finalization of our health promotion funding proposals.

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