USAID equips Laos for disability-inclusive development

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has handed over IT equipment and motorcycles to the Ministries of Labour and Social Welfare and Health to strengthen their disability-inclusive development and rehabilitation efforts.

Under the Okard project supported by USAID, implemented by World Education, this contribution, totalling more than 3.7 billion kip (approximately US$169,457), was provided on December 9. The equipment will support the Lao government’s transition to digital data collection and information systems.
The handover ceremony underscored a shared commitment to fostering inclusivity and improving rehabilitation services for people with disabilities across Laos.
The first part of the event formalised the hand over of the IT equipment and motorcycles to the Department of Policy for Devotees, Persons with Disabilities and Older Persons (Secretariat of the National Committee for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD)) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. This is part of the “Okard: Capacity strengthening on disability inclusive development” project, and it enhances the department’s ability to promote disability-inclusive policies, support development and implementation of the national Disability Management Information System (DMIS), and implement and monitor Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) in five districts.
The second part featured the handing over of IT equipment and motorcycles to the Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Health. This equipment supports the “Okard: Capacity strengthening on rehabilitation” project, and aims to facilitate the department’s transition to efficient and digital data collection,  reporting of rehabilitation indicators, and improved management of assistive product inventories.

Some of the equipment will also support upcoming studies of Lao students at the Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics (CSPO).
The IT equipment and motorcycles will enhance effective operations, both at the central level and in the provinces of Xieng Khuang, Savannakhet and Xekong. Together, these contributions reflect USAID Okard’s commitment to strengthening national systems and fostering inclusive development in Laos.
By equipping government counterparts with advanced IT tools to support their transition to digitalisation, the project helps improve efficient operations to make a sustained impact on the lives of Lao people.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update December 13, 2024)