Laos recommits to bolstering rehabilitation services

Laos will continue to work with development partners and other countries to strengthen services and investment in rehabilitation, according to a leading health official.
Deputy Minister of Health, Associate Prof. Dr Phouthone Muongpak, made the commitment during the Second Global Rehabilitation 2030 Meeting hosted at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on July 8-9.
The meeting once again brought together WHO member states, international and professional organisations, nongovernment organisations, rehabilitation experts and service users to take stock of the progress made towards achieving the joint commitments of the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative.
Dr Phouthone said Laos was still suffering from the consequences of the Indochina war with frequent Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) accidents.
In addition, the growing incidence of noncommunicable diseases, road accidents and the ageing of the Lao population dramatically affected the functioning level of the population and highlighted the urgent need for more rehabilitation.
“Since our participation in the “Rehabilitation 2030: Call for Action” meeting in February 2017, the Lao Ministry of Health has developed, and in October 2018 endorsed, a national rehabilitation strategy with six strategic objectives that match the call for 10 actions recommended by the WHO. A national rehabilitation committee has also been created to coordinate and facilitate operations,” he said.
These efforts were also strengthening rehabilitation as part of the continuing care for all people, including supporting the attainment of universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals, he added.
In terms of human resource development, the Ministry of Health (Department of Health Care and Rehabilitation) with international support, has offered 25 scholarships for a new generation of the rehabilitation workforce covering the areas of prosthetics, orthotics and rehabilitation medicine.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health will appropriately integrate rehabilitation and the Western Pacific Region 10 core rehabilitation indicators in the Health Sector Reform (3rd period) of the 9th 5 year Health Development Plan 2021-2025.
The core indicator “population functions” will be integrated into the National Socio economic Development Plan to ensure govern-ment funding for rehabilitation is made available at the ministry.
Others efforts will improve self awareness on public healthcare for noncommunicable disease prevention such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and reducing traffic accidents.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update July 18, 2019)