European Union grants EU 3 million for health development in Laos
The European Union (EU) has agreed to grant EU 3 million for a health project that will support capacity development in provincial and district laboratories in Lao PDR to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks.
Launching Ceremony for the Strengthening and harmonizing capacity of the health sector in South East Asia through strategic planning, regional networking and upgrading laboratories in Lao PDR, to prevent and control trans-boundary Emerging Infecious disease outbreaks.
The official project launching ceremony was held last Friday in the presence of Dr. Eksavang Vongvichit, Minister of Health and Ambassador David Lipman, Head of Delegation of EU to Laos, the event was also witness by representatives of the concerned ministries, provinces, World Health Organisation as well as representatives of the EU member states’ embassies and officials of the EU delegation in Vientiane.
The new project: “Strengthening and harmonizing capacity of the health sector in South East Asia through strategic planning, regional networking and upgrading laboratories in Lao PDR, to prevent and control trans-boundary Emerging Infectious Diseases,” will be jointly implemented by WHO and the National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health over the next three years.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Lipman said “This assistance is part of the EU regional strategy for Asia, so the project will not be only beneficial for people of Laos, but also for other countries in Asia.”
This project, in support of capacity development for the laboratory sector in Lao PDR, will improve surveillance and control of Emerging Infectious Diseases. Although most activities are in support of the Lao health sector, focus is on regional progress to harmonizing laboratory capacity standards in Laos with regional standards, support networking for international knowledge exchange and sample sharing, and promote cross-border cooperation in surveillance and control of outbreaks.
The project has three main component: including to establish a coherent national strategy for laboratory development, to support international networking, and to support capacity development of laboratories in five provinces (Champassak, Savannakhet, Oudomsay Luang Pabang and Luang Namtha) and selected border districts, to enable detection of and response to Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Through this work the curative services in provincial hospitals will be improved, and thus patients in general will benefit. As disease outbreak do not respect border, the focus will also be on the regional and cross-border aspects of the disease control effort.
