The civil war of the seventies and the ensuing political unrest during the past three decades has left Cambodia with a poor public sector infrastructure and services. The Khmer Rouge decimated the health system: of the 1,000 doctors trained prior to 1975, less than 50 survived the regime. In 1979, the restoration of a functioning health care system became one of the highest priorities of the new government of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea. The period 19801989 was one of reconstruction and rehabilitation, with many health workers being trained through accelerated training courses. The years between 1989 and 1995 constituted a time of recovery with substantial government and donor investment.
