29.5 C
Vientiane
Monday, September 22, 2025
spot_img

Lao National Assembly Launches Workshop Series on Health Security, Financing

This Week

The Lao National Assembly has launched a workshop series titled “Mobilizing Domestic Resources for Increased Immunization and Public Healthcare Budget,” with support from Health Poverty Action, the University of Health Sciences, and development partners.

The program aims to strengthen the Assembly’s role in protecting the country’s health gains and ensuring sustainable funding for primary health care and immunization.

The opening workshop was co-chaired by Bounta Thepphavong, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Culture and Society Committee, and Thet Lynn, Country Director of Health Poverty Action.

Members of the Assembly’s Committee on Finance and Committee on Social and Cultural Development attended the first session.

Discussions focused on Laos’ progress in reducing child mortality through immunization programs, while also addressing challenges such as declining foreign aid for health, rising domestic financing needs, economic pressures, and ongoing underinvestment in the sector.

“This workshop series equips us as parliamentarians with fiscal strategies, oversight tools, and practical mechanisms to strengthen accountability in health sector spending,” said Mayfong Maysai, Member of the National Assembly, District 12, and President of the Medical University.

“By enhancing our scrutiny role, we will be better positioned to safeguard public resources, improve primary health care delivery, and ensure every Lao citizen benefits from essential immunization services. Ultimately, informed and empowered parliamentarians are pivotal in advancing a healthier and more prosperous Laos.”

The workshop series will continue in October and November with sessions on fiscal policy options for health financing. It will conclude with the creation of a Parliamentary Health Alliance, an institutional mechanism to support ongoing dialogue and oversight on health security.

The alliance is expected to help protect long-term health investments and support Laos’ transition from Least Developed Country status.

“By contributing to improved practical accountability mechanisms, the National Assembly of Laos can play a stronger scrutiny role, ensuring that public funds for health are not only allocated but also used effectively and fairly,” said Thet Lynn, Country Director of Health Poverty Action.

“This will improve delivery of primary health care and immunization, strengthen national health outcomes, and build public trust in governance. Predictable, sufficient, and sustainable financing for immunization and primary health care remains a national priority, aligned with Laos’ vision of prosperity and self-reliance.”

The workshops also build on Laos’ recent international commitments, including the ASEAN Health Ministers’ Pledge on immunization financing, which calls on member states to secure sustainable domestic resources for vaccines as part of regional health security.

They further reflect the Istanbul Parliamentary Call to Action for Immunization Financing, which urges parliaments to strengthen legislation and oversight to ensure every child is protected from preventable diseases.

Latest article