LEARN Lao PDR - The 13th National Health Research Forum in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR 16-17th October

The LaoTPHI and friends dedicated this year’s forum to quality of health services. The H.E. Mr Léon Faber highlighted the achievements of the LEARN partners in his opening speech. He stated: “Over the last 4 ½ years, there have been several significant achievements, and I like to mention a few. Most of all the establishment of the first International Masters of Public Health program in Laos PDR under which currently 20 students are involved. There are 4 post-doctoral, 5 open call researchers and 4 PhD candidates who are currently undertaking that their research with technical support from the Vrije University of Amsterdam. There has been also the formulation of the National Health Research Agenda, aiming to ensure that all health research is contributing to an evidence based health policy development and implementation. In addition, there is the development of a Knowledge Translation Strategy that is important to help researchers to better communicate their findings to policy makers and to use these research data for health policy development and implementation”.

The forum contained high quality research in the field of Mother and child Health, Nutrition, Parasitology – most notably the work on liver fluke, Malaria and Dengue -, and insights on quality of health systems. At the forum several LEARN supported researchers shared their findings in poster and oral presentations. The walls at the venue were decorated with posters illustrating the quality research done by the master of public health students supported by LEARN. Dr Viengnakhone Vonxay shared his analysis of various programs aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health among adolescents. Dr Sysavanh Phommachanh demonstrated the relations between maternal and child health literacy and ANC attendance. In a policy dialogue on ‘how to improve quality of services’ the former Minister of Health H.E Prof. Dr. Ponemek Dalaloy, who focused on how human resources are key to quality of care and the importance of research.

Prof. Dr. Jun Kobayashi and Ass Prof Mayfong Maxay, and Ass Prof. Dirk Essink from the VU in Amsterdam agreed and engaging in the lively discussion moderated by Dr. Paul Brey, director of the Lao Louis Pasteur Institute. Dirk illustrated his views on how to researchers can contribute to quality of services with clear examples of LEARN’s work on ANC and the Health Research Agenda. These insights were presented by him at the second day of the conference. Dr Sengchanh wrapped up the forum highlighting the scientific achievements, the lively discussions, and all the networking activities to bring evidence informed health policy and practice further in Lao PDR