Kawsang is a Cambodian technology social enterprise focused on public health strengthening and participatory disease surveillance through projects in several Southeast Asian countries. In 2016, Kawsang launched the 115 Public Health Hotline in Cambodia, which has received over 2.3 million calls and helped detect and respond to disease outbreaks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotline sent over 1.2 million automated contact tracing calls with only 1.3% requiring human follow up. Since 2019, Kawsang has also been working with the Cambodian government on the Cambodia Event Monitoring System to enable real-time data sharing between human and animal health on outbreak events.

1. Detecting and Monitoring Outbreak Diseases in the
Community: the case of Cambodia
Channe Suy LAN
Co-founder, Kawsang
GHS Symposium
18 May 2023

2. ● A technology social enterprise based in Cambodia,
operating in various incarnations since 2008.
● Primary focus: Public health strengthening.
Emphasis on participatory disease surveillance.
● Projects in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand,
Myanmar, Indonesia - usually in collaboration with
the local Ministry of Health.
● Work with local communities to co-create solutions
and drive development.

3. The year 2013 marked a significant turning point for us...

6. Public participatory
Health Hotline 115

7. Hotline Launched in January 2016
Public launch event was followed by communications campaign

8. Impact: Hotline Stops an Outbreak & Saves Lives
Spike in calls from a rural district and report from health official leads to early detection, early response.
X

9. The preparedness and
the impact of
COVID-19

10. COVID-19
Challenged the
health system
preparedness

11. Public incoming
calls to hotline 115
Source: Lan, et al. 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100584

12. Only 1.3% of the people contacted by the contact tracing auto calls required human follow-up calls.
Source: Lan, et al. 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100584

13. 115 Hotline:
● The 115 hotline has received over 2.3 million public calls and over
340,000 reports from health workers
● During COVID-19, the 115 Hotline sent over 1.2 million automated
contact tracing calls
● Achieve sustainability. 115 Hotline is now fully running and
operating by Ministry of Health Cambodia without donor funding

14. Link

15. Human & Animal
Outbreak Monitoring
Cam EMS System

16. Human
Health
Animal
Health

17. Cambodia human and animal
health event based
surveillance (2019 - Now)
Using milestones and timeliness
metrics to track progress

18. Event based real time data sharing
Cambodia Event Monitoring System
Events related to 8
infectious diseases:
H5N1, H7N9, Flu cluster,
Rabies, Influenza,
Diphtheria, Trichinosis,
Puffer fish
Events related to H9N2,
H5N1, Leptospirosis,
Anthrax, Rabies

20. Cam EMS and Verification Fund
● The training and rollout of Cam EMS began at the national and
sub-national levels (including all provincial levels) in June 2020
● The Verification Fund package provides assistance for addressing
the lack of resources at the sub-national level for verification of
outbreak events
● As of April 2023, 297 outbreak events in Cambodia have been
verified, recorded, and tracked on Cam EMS

21. Lessons learned
● Government partners' championship is a critical factor for the
success of the pilot and its integration into the routine operations of
the ministries, ensuring sustainability.
● We collaborate with other development partners to synchronize
our support and complement their work.
○ For instance, the refresher training for Cam EMS at CCCDC is
carried out in conjunction with projects supported by WHO and
PSI.
○ FAO has also expressed similar support for GDAHP.

22. Next …
One Health
strengthening

23. kawsang.com