Representatives from the Ministry of Health and from the United Nations Joint Programme (UNJP) for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) will visit Savannakhet Province from 29th to 31th March.
The participants include the Vice Minister of Health, Dr. Phouthone Muongpak, Claude Jentgen, Chargé d'affaires, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Embassy in Lao PDR, as well as the Heads of the three UN agencies involved in the UN Joint Programme: Ms Hongwei Gao, (UNICEF), Dr. Juliet Fleischl (WHO), and Ms Frederika Meijer (UNFPA).
The objectives of the mission will be to review the progress made during Phase I (2011-2016) at provincial and district level; to assess challenges and opportunities for phase II (2017-2020); and to support the policy dialogue with decision makers for mobilization of resources required to strengthen health systems at the subnational level.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is funding 6.5 million Euros for the period 2017-2020, to support the implementation of the Government’s National Strategy and Action Plan for Integrated Services for RMNCH 2016-2025. The aim is to improve the health status of women, newborns, children and adolescent girls in Lao PDR.
The current UNJP will continue to address reproductive health, maternal and child mortality and undernutrition, and expand support to young people, in line with government priorities. Through this programme, UN agencies bring together their diverse expertise that have so far contributed to the improvement of the Lao PDR public health system. Savannakhet is one of the three provinces selected for modelling (Bolikhamxay and Bokeo are the other two) and was already included in phase I.
This field mission will provide participants with valuable insights and lessons learned on the first phase of the UNJP, as the partners embark on phase II.
The mission will meet with the Governor of the Province, H.E. Souphanh Keomixay and travel to Sepone district.
For more information, please contact:
Marc Vergara, Chief of Communication, UNICEF Lao PDR: mvergara@unicef.org
Irene Tan, Communication Officer, WHO: tanir@who.int
Kay amphone singhalath, Communication Officer, UNFPA: singhalath@unfpa.org
