WHO/Daniel Hodgson
Health workers and WHO staff speak to villagers during the disease surveillance efforts.
© Credits

Preparing for and tackling health emergencies

Preparing for and responding to emerging infectious diseases and public health emergencies is a priority for Lao PDR. Since the early 2000s, WHO has supported the country in responding to a range of public health events including outbreaks of COVID-19, novel avian influenza, dengue, vaccine-derived polio, measles, diphtheria, as well as natural disasters and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

To address these challenges, Lao PDR has an established surveillance system to detect acute public health events and has trained multisectoral rapid response teams. To strengthen core capacities to respond to health emergencies under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), the Ministry of Health has developed multi-year National Health Security Workplans.

The country has demonstrated strong progress in improving core IHR response capacities, and while the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented challenge, it also acted as a stimulator for preparedness and response capacity, and infrastructure. However, gaps remain.

Critically, there exists a need to further strengthen core capacities, sustain and leverage investments made, and ensure the health system is resilient to effectively address public health emergencies now and in the future.

  

Our support

To increase overall public health preparedness and response, WHO supports the development, implementation and review of National Health Security Workplans, conducts intra/after-action reviews, and simulation exercises, and assists in the implementation of national and subnational Emergency Operation Centres.

To ensure epidemiological (distribution and determinants of health-related events) capacity in response to health emergencies, WHO supports the Lao Field Epidemiology Training programme and other capacity strengthening at national and subnational levels. 

To maintain and strengthen disease surveillance to enable response, WHO supports the development, implementation, and review of indicator-based and event-based surveillance through electronic health information systems. 

To monitor and respond to outbreaks, WHO supports the development and expansion of testing capacity for priority diseases, as well as improvement of biosafety, biosecurity, and laboratory quality through the establishment of national authorities, regulations and standards development, and training and certification.

Ensuring system strengthening, our support is guided by the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF), implementing the IHR 2005 core capacities in line with the National Health Security Workplans.

Temperature checks are done twice a day, usually when the returnees collect their meals
WHO
Temperature checks are done twice a day, usually when the returnees collect their meals
© Credits

   

Results

  • Rapid detection and response to outbreaks of COVID-19, dengue, influenza, acute watery diarrhoea, and natural disasters and AMR events. 
  • National Health Security Workplan for 2022–2025 developed and annually reviewed, alongside COVID-19 reviews and preparedness simulations. 
  • Rapid response teams and 110 field epidemiologists trained to conduct disease surveillance and response across all 18 provinces. 
  • Use of District Health Information Software-2 (DHIS-2) for digital surveillance data management expanded to all districts in all 18 provinces. 
  • Expansion of COVID-19 testing by real-time PCR or GeneXpert to 18 provinces, along with central-level testing for mpox, chikungunya, Zika, dengue, diphtheria, pertussis and other diseases, and quality assurance. 
  • Leveraging of the National Influenza Center to strengthen surveillance of threats, including dengue and AMR, and advances in genomic surveillance to detect and respond to emerging COVID-19 variants. 
  • Establishment of the National Laboratory Biosafety Authority and National Laboratory Quality Authority, and development of regulations, guidelines and associated trainings and certifications.
  • Expanded influenza testing to the subnational level – integrating with SARS-COV-2 testing.

 

 

The work ahead

While Lao PDR has made significant progress in its ability to respond to health emergencies, gaps remain, particularly around: sufficient and qualified human resources, translation of lessons learnt into action, multisectoral collaboration and use of surveillance data to support public health action. 

To address these gaps, WHO is prioritizing support for: 

  • Facilitating a cycle of pandemic preparedness and response planning;
  • Strengthening integrated and multisource surveillance systems, including genomic surveillance, to inform evidence-based public health response;
  • Enhancing the public health workforce via the Lao Field Epidemiology Training Programme, and continuing capacity building of the epidemiological workforce at national and subnational levels; 
  • Enhancing laboratory testing networks; 
  • Ensuring decision-makers implement results of monitoring and evaluation efforts in regards to IHR 2005 core capacities; and 
  • Advocating for multisector collaboration and coordination through local governance structures, and utilization of human resources.

 

  

Our partners

The Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Australian Aid 

The Government of the United States of America through USAID, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)