2025/26 : In Laos, Enhancing Pediatric Healthcare Services
The Lao People's Democratic Republic is a small Southeast Asian nation of approximately 7 million people and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. With a median age of 22 and two-thirds of the population under 15, it is a young nation. However, child health is precarious, characterized by very high maternal and infant mortality rates. This fragility is visible daily in healthcare facilities that lack essential resources, a shortage of permanent staff (relying heavily on volunteers who often hold second jobs), and frequent shortages of basic medicines.
In Pakbeng, a remote town nestled in a mountainous area along the Mekong River, the local hospital receives many critically ill children arriving in life-threatening emergencies (maternal-fetal infections, meningitis, severe dehydration, road accidents, etc.).
La Fondation La Petite Etoile is a partner in this project, which aims to :
- strengthen the skills of the hospital’s 30 healthcare workers (nurses, midwives, and doctors) through mentoring and both theoretical and practical training. French and Lao doctors are co-developing clinical algorithms and treatment protocols, compiled into a pediatric handbook.
- improve the care environment by providing child-appropriate equipment (including an ultrasound machine for medical imaging), co-drafting specific care procedures, and improving hygiene (providing a WATA device to produce chlorinated water from salt and water).
- provide health education to families present at the hospital.
The Implementation of clinical procedures (including systematic screening for bacterial infections) has led to more comprehensive clinical examinations, a reduction in antibiotic prescriptions, and the rapid identification of critically ill children in emergency situations.
This project is made possible by French-Lao interpreters who facilitate all exchanges. These interpreters are practicing physicians from hospitals in Vientiane. As Lao nationals, they possess a deep understanding of medical challenges as well as the cultural traditions that influence child health. They ensure that training sessions are collaborative exchanges rather than top-down instruction and are highly respected by their peers. Their presence is vital, as the hospital staff speaks neither English nor French.
This program is conducted under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Lao Ministry of Health (represented by the Oudomxay Provincial Health Department) and the "Médecins de Chinguetti-Pakbeng" association.
Total Budget : € 15,000 (covering 5 two-week missions at €3,000 each, excluding medical equipment). Missions are carried out by two pediatricians and one pediatric nurse. On a daily basis, these teams support hospital staff in clinical activities: bedside rounds, consultations, emergencies, and maternity care.
Location : Pakbeng Hospital, Oudomxay Province, Laos.
Co-participants : Fondation La Petite Etoile, Gratitude Foundation, Masalina Foundation, Pédiatres du Monde, Médecins de Chinguetti-Pakbeng Association.
Funding provided by Fondation La Petite Etoile : € 5,000
The Lao People's Democratic Republic is a small Southeast Asian nation of approximately 7 million people and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. With a median age of 22 and two-thirds of the population under 15, it is a young nation. However, child health is precarious, characterized by very high maternal and infant mortality rates. This fragility is visible daily in healthcare facilities that lack essential resources, a shortage of permanent staff (relying heavily on volunteers who often hold second jobs), and frequent shortages of basic medicines.
In Pakbeng, a remote town nestled in a mountainous area along the Mekong River, the local hospital receives many critically ill children arriving in life-threatening emergencies (maternal-fetal infections, meningitis, severe dehydration, road accidents, etc.).
La Fondation La Petite Etoile is a partner in this project, which aims to :
- strengthen the skills of the hospital’s 30 healthcare workers (nurses, midwives, and doctors) through mentoring and both theoretical and practical training. French and Lao doctors are co-developing clinical algorithms and treatment protocols, compiled into a pediatric handbook.
- improve the care environment by providing child-appropriate equipment (including an ultrasound machine for medical imaging), co-drafting specific care procedures, and improving hygiene (providing a WATA device to produce chlorinated water from salt and water).
- provide health education to families present at the hospital.
The Implementation of clinical procedures (including systematic screening for bacterial infections) has led to more comprehensive clinical examinations, a reduction in antibiotic prescriptions, and the rapid identification of critically ill children in emergency situations.
This project is made possible by French-Lao interpreters who facilitate all exchanges. These interpreters are practicing physicians from hospitals in Vientiane. As Lao nationals, they possess a deep understanding of medical challenges as well as the cultural traditions that influence child health. They ensure that training sessions are collaborative exchanges rather than top-down instruction and are highly respected by their peers. Their presence is vital, as the hospital staff speaks neither English nor French.
This program is conducted under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Lao Ministry of Health (represented by the Oudomxay Provincial Health Department) and the "Médecins de Chinguetti-Pakbeng" association.
Total Budget : € 15,000 (covering 5 two-week missions at €3,000 each, excluding medical equipment). Missions are carried out by two pediatricians and one pediatric nurse. On a daily basis, these teams support hospital staff in clinical activities: bedside rounds, consultations, emergencies, and maternity care.
Location : Pakbeng Hospital, Oudomxay Province, Laos.
Co-participants : Fondation La Petite Etoile, Gratitude Foundation, Masalina Foundation, Pédiatres du Monde, Médecins de Chinguetti-Pakbeng Association.
Funding provided by Fondation La Petite Etoile : € 5,000