Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Cambodia: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinate Palliative Care, Home Nursing, and Health Coverage

   • Public referral hospitals and palliative services: Coordinate specialist oncology, pain management, and supportive care through national or provincial public referral hospitals overseen by the Ministry of Health (such as Calmette Hospital, Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, or provincial referral centers) as well as accredited non-governmental home-care and hospice teams operating in Phnom Penh and provincial centers [1]. Ask the treating physician to issue a comprehensive medical summary, symptom-management plan, and prescriptions for controlled analgesics under Ministry of Health clinical protocols [1].
   • National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Health Care Scheme: If the ill person is a registered private-sector worker, civil servant, public employee, or pensioner covered by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), verify coverage under the NSSF Health Care Scheme [4] [5]. Contracted public and private health facilities provide inpatient treatment, outpatient specialist consultations, chronic disease management, and emergency medical transport directly billed to the NSSF upon presentation of the NSSF membership card and Khmer National Identity Card [4] [5].
   • Health Equity Fund (HEF) and private insurance: For low-income households holding an IDPoor card, the Health Equity Fund covers user fees at public health centers and referral hospitals under the Ministry of Health [1] [5]. If the ill person holds private inpatient or international medical evacuation insurance, obtain prior written authorization before transferring to private palliative care or home-based nursing [1].
2. 2

   Record Advance Healthcare Preferences and Designate a Medical Proxy

   • Written statement of medical treatment preferences: While Cambodia does not have a standalone statutory Living Will Registry, patient consent and medical decision-making are governed by Ministry of Health medical ethics rules and the general provisions on personal rights under the Cambodian Civil Code administered by the Ministry of Justice [1] [3]. While the ill person retains full decision-making capacity, they should sign a written statement of treatment preferences specifying wishes regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and pain relief [1] [3].
   • Designating a family medical representative: In Cambodian clinical practice, physicians consult the patient directly while capable and rely on the designated spouse or closest adult family member listed in the hospital chart and Family Book (Sievphov Krousar) when the patient can no longer communicate [1] [2]. We suggest formally naming a primary and alternate healthcare representative in a written mandate signed by the ill person and placing copies directly into the hospital medical record with the attending physician [1] [3].
   • Hospital medical records and discharge documentation: Request certified copies of diagnostic pathology reports, imaging summaries, and ongoing prescription regimens from the treating hospital so that community health centers or home-care physicians have immediate clinical continuity [1].
3. 3

   Execute Financial and Legal Powers of Attorney and Bank Mandates

   • Mandate and Power of Attorney under the Cambodian Civil Code: Under Book Four (Obligations) of the Cambodian Civil Code overseen by the Ministry of Justice, a competent adult may grant a mandate (Power of Attorney) authorizing a trusted representative to manage bank accounts, pay medical bills, lease or sell property, and handle administrative filings [3]. Crucially, the principal must have full mental capacity at the moment of signing; once capacity is lost, a standard mandate cannot be validly executed and family members may face lengthy guardianship (curatorship) proceedings before the Provincial or Municipal Court of First Instance [3].
   • Notarial execution for immovable property and formal transactions: For transactions involving hard-title real estate, corporate shares, or significant assets, execute an authentic Power of Attorney before a licensed Cambodian notary public or have the signature certified through the local Commune or Sangkat office under the Ministry of Interior [2] [3].
   • Commercial bank account mandates: Cambodian commercial banks and microfinance institutions frequently require account holders to sign the bank's own internal mandate form in person (or before a bank officer visiting the hospital/home) rather than relying solely on a general power of attorney [3]. Arrange for the ill person to add an authorized signatory or update joint-account operating instructions while they are still able to sign and verify their identity [3].
4. 4

   Activate Disability, Critical-Illness, and Caregiver Support

   • NSSF invalidity pension and sickness allowances: If the illness results in permanent loss of working capacity for an insured worker, apply to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for medical assessment of invalidity (disability) benefits under the NSSF Pension Scheme or daily sickness/medical leave allowances under the Health Care Scheme [4] [5]. An NSSF medical committee evaluates the treating physician's report to determine eligibility for ongoing disability pension payments or lump-sum support [4].
   • Employment leave and caregiver arrangements: Family members employed in the formal sector in Cambodia may request paid special leave or annual leave adjustments under the Cambodian Labor Law to care for a seriously ill immediate family member [4]. Keep official medical certificates issued by a Ministry of Health facility to substantiate employer leave requests [1] [4].
   • Social assistance and disability registration: Households facing severe financial hardship due to long-term illness or disability can register with their local Commune or Sangkat council under the Ministry of Interior to be assessed for national social assistance cash transfers and disability support programs [2] [5].
5. 5

   Review the Will, Civil Status Records, and Property Documents

   • Valid forms of wills under the Cambodian Civil Code: Book Seven (Succession) of the Cambodian Civil Code recognizes three primary forms of ordinary wills: a Notarial Will (dictated to a notary in the presence of two witnesses), a Holographic Will (written entirely by hand, dated, and signed by the testator), and a Secret Will [3]. Executing a Notarial Will before a licensed notary under the Ministry of Justice is advisable to minimize later authenticity disputes, while ensuring the distribution respects the statutory reserved portion (legitime) guaranteed to descendants, parents, or the spouse [3].
   • Civil registry and identity verification: Verify that the ill person's Khmer National Identity Card, Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, and household Family Book (Sievphov Krousar) held under the Ministry of Interior contain consistent spelling of names and dates of birth [2]. Correcting discrepancies at the Commune/Sangkat office while the person is alive is significantly faster than rectifying civil status records after death [2].
   • Property titles, tax records, and cross-border assets: Consolidate original cadastral hard titles, vehicle registration cards, insurance policies, and tax registration certificates issued by the General Department of Taxation [6]. Knowing the registration status of land and business assets helps the family prepare for the 4% property transfer stamp duty rules and statutory family inheritance exemptions administered by the General Department of Taxation [6]. If family members or assets are located outside Cambodia, note that Cambodia is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so powers of attorney or estate documents crossing borders must undergo consular legalization through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant embassy [2] [3].

   Step	Deadline	Authority
   1. Coordinate palliative care & NSSF health coverage	Upon diagnosis / prior to hospital admission	Ministry of Health / National Social Security Fund (NSSF)
   2. Record advance treatment preferences & medical proxy	While the ill person retains full mental capacity	Ministry of Health / Treating Referral Hospital
   3. Execute notarial Power of Attorney & bank mandates	Before any loss of legal decision-making capacity	Ministry of Justice (Notary) / Commercial Banks
   4. Claim NSSF sickness or invalidity benefits	Promptly upon certified medical incapacity	National Social Security Fund (NSSF)
   5. Execute a valid will & verify civil/property records	While the testator retains full testamentary capacity	Ministry of Justice / Ministry of Interior / General Department of Taxation

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Public Health Facilities and Medical Services — Ministry of Health of Cambodia
2. [2]
   Civil Registration and Local Administration — Ministry of Interior of Cambodia
3. [3]
   Legal Library and Civil Code of Cambodia — Ministry of Justice of Cambodia
4. [4]
   Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific - Cambodia — U.S. Social Security Administration / ISSA
5. [5]
   Cambodia Country Overview and Social Protection Systems — World Bank
6. [6]
   Tax Administration and Property Transfer Stamp Duty — General Department of Taxation of Cambodia