Dear HIFA colleagues,
I would like to share a recently published editorial describing a hospital-level initiative to strengthen maternal and neonatal care in Cambodia through locally adapted Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs).
The article examines how we translated national Ministry of Health guidelines into actionable, context-specific protocols at a tertiary hospital in Phnom Penh. Our approach combined structured SOPs, bedside checklists, staff training, and routine clinical audits to improve consistency of care during obstetric emergencies—particularly in settings where resource constraints require careful adaptation of international best practices.
Key elements discussed include:
• Adapting WHO, RCOG, and national guidelines to local resource realities
• Developing feasibility-based protocol tiers (feasible, conditionally feasible, impossible)
• Implementing sustainable quality improvement without additional staffing or equipment
• Using audit cycles to identify gaps and refine protocols
This work may be of interest to colleagues engaged in quality improvement, maternal health system strengthening, and clinical protocol adaptation in low- and middle-income settings.
Link to the article: https://jch.puthisastra.edu.kh/index.php/jch/article/view/75
I welcome feedback, questions, and discussion—particularly from colleagues with experience adapting clinical guidelines to resource-limited environments.
With warm regards,
Dr Suren Kanayan
Administration Manager
Central Hospital
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
HIFA profile: Suren Kanayan is the Administrative Manager at Central Hospital in Cambodia. Professional interests: Maternal and Child Health, Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinical Practice, Healthcare System Strengthening in LMICs, Telemedicine and Digital Health Platforms.
Email: skan71 AT yahoo.com