Asian Development Bank approves US$45mil financing to strengthen health care services in Laos

The Improving the Quality of Health Care Project is expected to benefit about 1.6 million people each year. - Vientiane Times/ANN

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$45 million financing package to help strengthen health care in 16 districts across 10 provinces in Laos.

The Improving the Quality of Health Care Project is expected to benefit about 1.6 million people each year. Beneficiaries include the poor, women, the elderly, those with disabilities, and ethnic groups living in underserved and remote rural areas, according to a report from the ADB.

The project will help the Ministry of Health design and implement quality of care policies, upgrade provincial and district hospitals, and improve hospital management in the provinces of Champassak, Huaphan, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Phongsaly, Saravan, Savannakhet, Xayaboury, Xaysomboun and Xieng Khuang.

“High quality health care that meets the needs and expectations of patients, especially women and children, is key to the Lao PDR achieving universal health coverage by 2025,” said ADB Country Director for the Lao PDR, Sonomi Tanaka.

“The experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has made this task more critical. Quality health services and responsiveness to patients’ preferences will encourage people to seek care and will result in enhanced health outcomes.”

In recent years, Laos has made progress in expanding access to health care and insurance. The national health insurance scheme introduced in 2015 covers 94 percent of the population. Most of the population has access to health facilities within a reasonable travel distance.

According to the ADB, Laos still lags behind neighbouring countries in health sector development, and inadequate care often discourages people from seeking health services, particularly at the district and community levels.

The project will help the Ministry of Health implement the country’s “Five Goods and One Satisfaction” quality of health care framework. It will also help set up the country’s first health facility accreditation system, with an initial target of 10 facilities accredited by 2026.

The ADB financing will support the Ministry of Health’s efforts to strengthen human resources for health through the establishment of a system for the registration and continuous development of health professionals, the upgrading and equipping of provincial health professional education institutions, and the establishment of an accreditation framework for these institutions.

This project is designed to enhance the Ministry of Health’s capacity to deliver high-quality health care, with a focus on expanding quality healthcare services in provincial and district health facilities.

Quality health care is a key component of effective universal health coverage under the Sustainable Development Goals and Lao Health Sector Reform plan until 2030. Quality health care and responsiveness to patients’ preferences encourages people to seek care, and results in enhanced health outcomes. - Vientiane Times/ANN