A confident health workforce strengthens Lao PDR’s health system and COVID-19 response

Lao PDR is boosting the capacities of the people who protect the nation’s health. A stronger health workforce is key to the country’s response to COVID-19 and serves as the foundation of a resilient health system and universal health coverage. 

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“When I got my licence, I felt confident in providing health services to the public and it also reminds me that I need to focus on providing good clinical care to patients,” said Ms Bounmala Sorpaseut who had just received an official licence to practice from the Government of Lao PDR. She is currently Deputy Head of Nursing at the Children’s Hospital in the country’s capital, Vientiane.

“I will continue to provide good service and improve my professional career,” she added.

The hospital where she works is state-owned and treats over 100,000 children each year. This is critical in a country where it is still quite common for children to die from preventable and treatable diseases, such as dengue fever, pneumonia and diarrhoea. During the time of COVID-19, strong nursing skills and a competent health workforce are more important than ever before.

Health workers at this hospital, including doctors, nurses, midwives and dentists, are the first to be formally licensed by the Ministry of Health. The licensing scheme is part of a new government initiative to monitor and reinforce the skills of existing health workers and provide high quality education and training to the coming generations of health workers. With support from the UHC Partnership, WHO in Lao PDR has assisted the Ministry of Health’s work in close collaboration with the country’s Healthcare Professional Council, in this area.

The UHC Partnership, hosted by WHO, assists 115 countries in accelerating progress to achieve UHC through funding provided by the European Union (EU), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the Government of Japan, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the United Kingdom – Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Belgium.

The work in Laos started four years before the pandemic struck, but COVID-19 has highlighted just how vital it is that all health workers have the confidence and skills they need to protect and treat patients and to prevent and control infection.

“In the situation of COVID-19, nurses work as frontline workers. Therefore, nurses are required to have even more competence and a full set of skills to serve the people who come to use health care services,” said Ms Phengdy Inthaphanith, Head of Nursing/Midwifery Board, Healthcare Professional Council.

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