Vientiane: The Ministry of Health will continue upgrading central and provincial hospitals while strengthening primary healthcare services in rural areas to ensure equitable access to quality medical care for people across the country.
According to Lao News Agency, speaking during the First Extraordinary Session of the 10th National Assembly on July 8, Minister of Health Dr. Baikham Khatthiya emphasized the ministry's commitment to improving healthcare services, particularly for those in remote and underserved communities. Dr. Khatthiya outlined plans to modernize central and provincial hospitals to enhance service quality and self-reliance, aligning with the government's goal of establishing an independent and sustainable healthcare system.
Efforts will also focus on strengthening district hospitals, health centres, and village health volunteers to expand community-level health education, disease prevention, and treatment services. Dr. Khatthiya highlighted the ministry's dedication to prioritizing disease prevention and health promotion, while ensuring equitable, affordable, and quality healthcare services for all citizens. Support for health insurance schemes, particularly for poor households, will be maintained to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses and improve access to essential healthcare.
To enhance service delivery, the ministry plans to promote domestic production of medicines and medical supplies, improve procurement and supply management systems, and decentralize procurement of essential medicines to local authorities. Despite these efforts, Dr. Khatthiya acknowledged that the shortage of healthcare personnel remains a significant challenge due to insufficient annual recruitment quotas to replace retiring and departing staff. Over 6,000 volunteer health workers are currently serving in health facilities across the nation.
Dr. Khatthiya urged the Government and the National Assembly to approve additional annual recruitment quotas for the health sector and to increase budget allocations for the national health insurance programme to ensure adequate funding for essential healthcare services. Laos currently operates 135 district hospitals, 1,080 health centres, and employs nearly 10,000 healthcare personnel at district and primary healthcare levels, with more than 20,000 village health volunteers supporting community health services nationwide.