SERVICES TRADE FORUM,TOKYO 2019

- HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES -

LAO PDR

27th-28th November 2019, Tokyo, Japan

Healthcare system in Lao(1)• Healthcare systems in Lao PDR(law of healthcare) consist of:

1. Public healthcare system(predominant)2. Private healthcare system(attendance increase)3. Joint public-private healthcare system(PPP)

• Level of care in Public sector consists of four levels:1. Primary care

1060 Health centers

2. Intermediate care135 District Hospitals (25 A type CEmONC, 110 B type BEmONC)

3. Secondary care17 Provincial Hospitals

4. (Lower)Tertiary careCentral Hospitals: 3 general hospitals, 2 specialized hospitals, 3 centers for Eye, Dermatology and Rehabilitation, located in Vientiane capital

• Private sector consists of two types:1. Private hospital• 29 hospitals (18 hospitals are located in Vientiane

capital, but low competence)• New 3 hospitals expected to be high

competencies are under construction.2. Private clinics reserving only for Lao citizens• 1050 clinics (Two types: 24h and after working

hours), including General Practice, Dental, EENT, Traditional medicines, Rehabilitation…

Healthcare system in Lao(2)

Challenges for Quality Health Services • Public Hospitals

– High demand for quality of health care services– Limitation of human recourses/distribution– Limited budgets– Overconsumption at Central and Provincial hospitals and

underutilization at District Hospitals and Health Centers• Private Hospitals

– Low quality of care due to commercialization and illegal acts (against the law)

– High prices for the services (They sometimes refer the patients to public hospitals if they are not able to pay. )

– Some citizens travel to neighboring countries for better care.

Our efforts for improvement

• Revise a new standard especially for district hospital and health center

• Reset/Reform the healthcare network and improve the distribution of human resource

• Quality Improvement : 10 MR(Minimum Requirement), Informed Consent, Patient Safety, The Project for Improving Quality of Health Care Services supported by JICA in the 4 southern provinces, Kaizen 5S, 5Goods 1 Satisfactions for hospital accreditation

• Use IT system in hospitals• Open for private sector

Priority Areas of investments

• Capacity building of Human Resources (e.g. Nursing school)• Public Private Partnership• Full Private investment for Hospitals and Centers• Hospital management(e.g. IT, Waste Management)• Pharmaceutical factory/company• Specialized areas:

– Intensive care, Emergency care, Referral system– Cardiology, Surgery care, Non-Communicable Diseases– Diagnostics center, Laboratory– Elderly care, Rehabilitation– Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (e.g. Home delivery)– Nutrition

Why Japanese investors?

• Potential fields for investment• Network in ASEAN region• Long history of cooperation between Japan

and Laos• Opportunity for learning from Good Health

system and high competent human resources in Japan

Thank you and welcome to Laos