Social development
Public health
Early pregnancies still an issue in Laos
Difficulties accessing information about methods to prevent early pregnancies among young people means that there are still many unwanted pregnancies and high death rates among young mothers and their children. Access to information and health services is limited among young people in the country, particularly for ...
Rangoon division parliament demands crackdown on drugs
On 14 June, more than a dozen National League for Democracy lawmakers in the Rangoon Division parliament demanded that authorities crack down on big-time drug dealers and smugglers in the city, who keep evading arrest, citing the worsening effect of drugs on Rangoon’s youth. “One of ...
Cause of high anemia rate among women still a mystery
The astonishingly high rate of anemia among adult women in Cambodia has for years been a major health concern, but the main cause of the problem—long believed to be iron deficiency—is still a mystery, according to a study released last week. Frank Wieringa, the study’s author, ...
Universal health cover still a challenge
While economic growth and poverty reduction has been impressive, health outcomes improved and Millennium Development Goals 4, 5, 6 and 7 are on tract; Universal Health Coverage is still a major challenge. The symposium was held on 13 June in Vientiane and also attended by President of ...
Draft regulatory framework for healthcare professionals needed in Laos
Laos will need a draft regulatory framework to ensure proper licensing among healthcare professionals aimed at assuring the quality of healthcare treatment across the country, officials say. Director Cabinet of the Ministry of Health, DrNaoBoutta said on 9 June during a meeting in Vientiane that a draft ...
Thailand eliminates mother-to-child transmission of HIV
The World Health Organization announced on 8 June that Thailand has become the first Asian country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. Elimination of transmission is defined as a reduction of transmission to such a low level that it no longer constitutes a public health ...
Smoking claims over 100 lives every day in Vietnam
Vietnam is among countries where smoking is most widely prevalent, losing more than 100 people a day to the habit and facing a huge financial burden, according to official figures. Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that the Vietnamese smoking population is among the biggest ...
China provides 21billion kip to build new block at 103 Hospital
The Chinese government has provided a grant of more than 21 billion kip to build a new nine-storey building at the 103 Hospital in Vientiane, which is operated by the Lao Ministry of National Defence. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place on 29 May, ...
Health ministry looks for 1000 doctors
The Ministry of Health in Myanmar is direly short on doctors, and a new plan to recruit 1000 more will barely begin to staunch the gap, according to government officials. As part of its 100-day priority agenda, the ministry has put out a call for 1000 ...
Health Ministry will levy fines for public smoking offenders
People smoking tobacco in offices, restaurants and other public spaces will have to indulge their habit in clearly demarcated smoking areas or both the smoker and establishment owner will face fines, Cambodia’s Ministry of Health announced. Following the government’s approval in March of a sub-decree banning ...
