Health

Trendy ‘Squishy’ Toys Suspended in Laos Over Chemical Safety Concerns

Laos has ordered the immediate suspension of the import and sale of Squishy toys nationwide after authorities warned that some may contain hazardous chemicals that pose health risks, particularly to children. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued the order on 28 July, instructing provincial industry and commerce departments across...

Former MRC Chief Anoulak Kittikhoun Named First Lao Head of Mekong Institute

Former Mekong River Commission (MRC) Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun has been appointed Executive...

Laos Turns to Public-Private Partnership to Tighten Product Quality Controls

Laos has launched a new state-backed company to inspect and certify the quality of...

Laos Suspends Vientiane Private Hospital Suspected of Organ Trafficking

The Ministry of Health announced the immediate closure of BLL Hospital after a Taiwanese...

Laos Must Spend More on Healthcare as Costs Rise, World Bank Says

Healthcare in Laos is under growing financial pressure, and the country can no longer...

Thailand Sees Surge in COVID-19 Cases, With Over 91,000 in First Five Months

Thailand is witnessing a significant rise in COVID-19 infections in 2025, with health authorities reporting 91,448 cases and 24 deaths during the 20 weeks...

Shortfall in Blood Donations Prompts New Push in Schools for 2025

The Lao Red Cross is ramping up efforts to strengthen partnerships with schools and expand youth engagement in blood donation, following a shortfall in...

From Seed to Community: How Lao Tobacco Limited Partners with Lao Farmers

Across the provinces of northern and central Laos, Lao Tobacco Limited (LTL) is working on developing rural livelihoods through its LEAF Department, a division...

OP-ED: Honoring Lao Midwives, Heroes of Maternal Health

By Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health, Laos, and Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative in Laos. On 5 May, International Day of the Midwife, we come together...

Laos Halts Meat Imports from Thailand Following Fatal Anthrax Case

Laos has suspended the import of beef, pork, horse, and lamb from Thailand in an effort to prevent the spread of anthrax, following the...

Mekong Communities at Risk as Arsenic Levels Soar in Northern Thai Rivers, Researcher Found

Arsenic levels up to 19 times higher than safety limits have contaminated rivers feeding into the Mekong, putting downstream communities across Southeast Asia at...