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Monday, September 15, 2025
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Asian Development Bank Funds USD 41M for Primary Healthcare in Laos

This Week

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 41 million financing package to strengthen primary health care in Laos.

According to ADB, the Green Primary Care Project will improve governance and service delivery while building resilience in the health system and communities across the country amid increasingly severe climate impacts.

“This project puts people and prevention first by strengthening local health services and ensuring facilities and communities can withstand climate shocks,” said ADB Country Director Laos Shanny Campbell. “By expanding climate-resilient primary care in rural and climate-vulnerable districts, the project will help Laos protect hard-won gains in universal health coverage.”

In Laos, limited access to primary health care is further strained by fragile infrastructure and geographic barriers that disproportionately affect poor and ethnic communities. The growing impact of climate change, including floods and droughts has heightened disease burdens, disrupted care delivery, and exposed gaps in system resilience.

To address these challenges, the project will upgrade and equip health facilities, train medical staff, and ensure continuity of care during extreme weather events. Additional measures include strengthening water systems, implementing community climate adaptation plans, and training local leaders, women, girls, and ethnic groups on adaptation strategies.

The initiative will cover 51 districts across five provinces, such as Champasak, Luangprabang, Oudomxay, Savannakhet, and Xiangkhouang with 14 districts identified as highly climate-vulnerable.

The project aligns with the government’s Health Sector Reform Strategy, the 2024 National Adaptation Plan, and its universal health coverage goals, while reinforcing Laos’ commitments to climate resilience and sustainable development.

ADB, founded in 1966 and owned by 69 members (50 from the Asia-Pacific region), continues to support inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across the region through innovative financing and strategic partnerships.

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