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Friday, August 15, 2025
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Three Decades of Cooperation: South Korea Helps Transform Healthcare in Laos

This Week

On 14 August, to celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations with Laos, the South Korean Embassy organized a special media tour to showcase how Korea’s development assistance has strengthened Laos’s healthcare system. 

The tour was attended by Ambassador Jung Yong-soo and Deputy Minister of Public Health Aphone Vixathep, giving 50 participants a close-up look at how hospitals, laboratories, medical logistics, and community health programs have benefited from decades of cooperation.

Children’s Hospital: Caring for the Youngest Patients

The first stop was the Children’s Hospital in Vientiane, a two-storey facility built with a USD 3.5 million KOICA grant and opened in 2011. Walking through the wards, it was easy to see how the hospital blends care with learning. 

With 70 beds, an emergency room, intensive care unit, operating theatres, and labs, it treats thousands of young patients each year. 

The hospital also serves as a training hub for medical staff, with Korean partners continuing to provide technical support and equipment maintenance, ensuring the care stays top quality.

Future Medical Hub: University of Health Sciences National University Hospital

Just a short drive away, cranes and construction crews filled the site of the future University of Health Sciences (UHS) National University Hospital. 

Supported by a USD 120 million concessional loan from Korea, the project will include a 400-bed hospital and classroom building, fully equipped for both medical treatment and education. 

Once completed, it will train healthcare workers to serve central and provincial hospitals, including remote areas, strengthening Laos’s medical workforce for years to come.

Medical Product Supply Center: Bringing Better Equipment to the Provinces

The tour then moved to the Medical Product Supply Center (MPSC), where the collaboration with the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) has been transforming the management of medical equipment across Laos. 

From 2018 to 2024, the first phase focused on five provincial hospitals, upgrading facilities, training biomedical engineers, and introducing systematic management tools. 

Building on this success, the second phase (2024–2028), valued at USD 3.87 million, will expand support to nine hospitals, helping rural areas gain better access to reliable medical equipment.

National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology: Preparing for Health Emergencies

The National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE) offered a peek behind the scenes at Laos’s central laboratory for diagnostics and disease monitoring. 

Supported by South Korea through the Korea Disease Control Agency (KDCA), the center has received both technical guidance and equipment for emergency preparedness and outbreak response. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, NCLE was crucial in rapidly scaling up testing capacity while maintaining high lab safety and quality standards nationwide.

Blood Donation Drive: Building Health from the Community Up

The tour ended with a visit to the University of Health Sciences campus, where students and volunteers participated in a blood donation drive organized with the Lao Red Cross and Korean Red Cross. 

Korea’s support has included equipment, training, and awareness campaigns to encourage voluntary donations, helping Laos meet its national blood supply targets.

Through pediatric care, hospital construction, medical logistics, laboratory systems, and community health programs, South Korea has played a key role in strengthening Laos’s healthcare system. 

As Ambassador Jung Yong-soo noted, the progress so far is just the beginning, laying the groundwork for the next chapter in Laos-Korea cooperation.

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