Every year brings us closer to our vision of a future where speech pathology is a recognized profession in Cambodia and where every person with speech or swallowing challenges can access the care they need.
In September, ten new clinicians completed Cambodia’s first-ever university-level course in Dysphagia (Swallowing) Management, offered by the University of Puthisastra (UP) and funded by Rotary International.
Year Two dysphagia course trainees with instructors
All training materials—including online lectures, videos, manuals, and assessment tools—were developed by Speech Therapy Cambodia and our Cambodian partner SSTC, specifically for Cambodia’s healthcare environment.
Real Impact for Patients
During their clinical practicum, trainees provided:
- 479 screenings for dysphagia
- 587 full dysphagia evaluations
- 204 other patient encounters related to swallowing problems
As one trainee reported:
“This course has helped me make many changes in my relationship with dysphagia patients:
“I have a greater understanding of the harm of not being able to swallow safely.
“I can make appropriate assessments and decisions and have solved the patient’s problems.
“I can work collaboratively with doctors or other relevant staffs.”
These 10 graduates now join the 13 clinicians from Year One, expanding Cambodia’s capacity to deliver life-changing dysphagia services that were previously unavailable.
In the coming months, these clinicians will help raise awareness of speech and swallowing issues across Cambodian hospitals and the wider community.
Dysphagia course graduate Sun Leang presenting at a Cambodian medical conference