Basic Healthcare in Bokéo (Lao)

Results and Perspectives

Expected results:

•  Quality working benefits of the public healthcare structures (hospitals and health centers) in the area concerned by the improved project.

•  A basic health care network organized and active in each of the targeted districts.

•  Beneficiary populations participating in the organization of the improvement of their health and hygiene conditions, and using the existing services more frequently.

•  Children and future parents concerned by the health issue, and true "health messengers" towards their family and community.

•  Protection services for mother and child efficient for the needs of the districts and villages.

Perspectives

Since 2002, the Basic Healthcare Project in Bokeo has become a reference and a typical example for the province. Except for one or two peculiar aspects (for example, the construction of the district hospital for Muang Meung), the project is widely superior to all the objectives and the performance indicators, as they were defined in 2002. These objectives were improved each time it was possible: the number of targeted villages has increased all the time, the optimisation of the work organisation and of the results allow not exceeding the limits of the initial budget.

The experience of the promotion for basic healthcare in various countries has clearly proved that only strong determination from the national government in a country can encourage such a mission. Without this political support, all the other efforts would remain vain. In Lao, this will clearly exists in the Health Ministry.