Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – From February 9th to 10th, the Lao Ministry of Health held a health work review and planning meeting, officially releasing the 2026 and medium-to-long-term health sector reform roadmap, clearly defining the core objectives as improving service quality, achieving management modernization, and enhancing self-development capabilities.
The meeting, themed "Strengthening Administration, Management, and Health Services to Achieve High-Quality, Modernized, and Gradually Self-Reliant Development," focused on deploying key development priorities for the next stage of the health sector and comprehensively reviewed the implementation of the national health sector's goals for 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Minister of Health Baikham Kathia and Deputy Minister Apong Vissath, Rector of the University of Health Sciences, Mehong Mesay. Vice governors of various provinces, the Deputy Mayor of Vientiane, heads of central and provincial health departments, and representatives of relevant institutions attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed and approved the 10th Five-Year Health Development Plan (2026-2030), focusing on addressing existing development challenges and ensuring the sustainable and resilient development of the health sector. This health reform agenda aligns closely with the resolutions of the 12th Lao Party Congress and simultaneously supports the implementation of the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan.
The meeting clarified the core reform tasks in the health sector: enhancing the industry's autonomy, improving the efficiency of public and private healthcare services, refining personnel recruitment and training mechanisms, standardizing the procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, promoting self-sufficient hospital models, and strengthening the efficient management of hospital information systems. Simultaneously, the meeting established thematic working groups to gather health professionals and promote a comprehensive and long-term transformation of health services.
Minister of Health Baikham Kathia, reviewing the achievements of the 2021-2025 Health Development Plan, stated that all major goals set for 2025 have been achieved. Through the implementation of seven key programs, special development projects, and 11 departmental indicators, Laos' medical treatment services have been continuously optimized, disease outbreaks have been effectively controlled, maternal and child mortality rates have been met, and the national health infrastructure and service network has been continuously improved.
This achievement, thanks to collaboration between the public and private sectors and continued support from international development partners, lays a solid foundation for further reforms in Laos' health sector in 2026 and beyond.
