Opinions quoted from different sources
Dr. Frances Daily, URC, Phnom Penh
What is Health Messenger’s (HM) impact on health staff/training?
HM is the only publication which all health staff in the health centres has access to. Therefore messages that MOH want to get to all staff can be transmitted by PSP knowing that they will receive it. It is not uncommon to see PSP well thumbed through - sitting on health centre staffs’ desks at the HC or in their homes, dog eared and obviously well read.
How valuable is it?
It's cheap, cost effective and as it is a regular publication updates can be provided if additional information or changes in treatment/policy occur. In my opinion, PSP is under-utilised, under-rated and MOH/WHO/UN agencies and NGOs should be lining up begging to have their “pet topics” included in PSP.
Why is PSP worth continued support?
The health system is so rudimentary that having something like PSP is a great opportunity to ensure important messages get to all HC (and ODs/Referral Hospitals) on a regular basis. If it were discontinued, staff would miss out on this very important source (and often the ONLY source) of up to date information. It is likely that it would be replaced by a magazine that relies entirely on advertising which would reduce the independence of the publication.
Dr. Ung Phirun, Secretary of State, Ministry of Health
“I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to you and your colleagues for the efforts in publishing and distributing this valuable magazine to the people, especially in contributing to the development of health sector (in the Kingdom of Cambodia).”
National Reproductive Health Programme Manager, Dr. Tung Rathavy
“Health Messenger as a bi-lingual magazine provides benefits to health staffs in term of awareness raising and English ability. I am very pleased to work with Ponleu Sokhapheap to provide right information on maternal, newborn and reproductive health to health staffs who are working at the frontline services through Health Messenger. I hope that our collaboration will continue and contribute to the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality in Cambodia.”
Dr. Yel Daravuth, National Professional Officer, WHO
"I have found that the Health Messenger booklet was an excellent material for health professional even at the remote places. I had visited various health centres in Kandal province last week and had a chance to chat with health staff on the Health Messenger issue 35 on Tobacco Control. Health Centre staff told me that they were very happy with the production and they could learn a lot from the material."
Readers comments from PSP's monitoring
• "I treat this book as my teacher" , Midwife in Battambang
• “Please continue to publish HM because it is clear and easy to use” , Midwife, Ratanakiri
• “I use it to provide health education to communities” , Nurse, Koh Kong |
