12 February 2010, the ground-breaking Summit on Adolescent & Youth Health Development was convened at Don Chan Palace in Vientiane with the theme “Young People’s Health in the Lao PDR: Why Worry?” The meeting was cordially co-chaired by H.E Dr. Bounkhouang Phichith, Vice Minister of Health and Mr. Serge Verniau, UNRC a.i to Lao PDR.

More than 150 top level participants were in attendance including representatives from National Assembly, government ministries, mass organizations, INGOs, Development Partners, journalists and young people. The meeting was jointly facilitated and supported by Ministry of Health and four UN agencies: UNFPA, UNICEF, UNODC and WHO. [Read more]

Vientiane, December 4, 2009:  Communities hit by the floods that swept parts of southern Lao PDR following Typhoon Ketsana last September will be the beneficiaries of $300,000 in emergency aid provided by the United States government to UNICEF. READ MORE

Vientiane, October 16 2009: The trail of destruction left by typhoon Ketsana when it struck southern Laos on the night of September 30th is only now becoming fully apparent. Read more 

Vientiane: The United Nations is stepping up its response to last week’s typhoon in southern Lao PDR, sending food, water and hygiene supplies to communities hit hardest by the devastating storm and floods.

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Vientiane – 28 September 2009:   The Lao Government and its international partners have launched an intensive campaign aimed at raising the country’s rates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for children aged 0 to 6 months. The campaign is part of the Government’s renewed commitments to meeting its Millennium Development Goals related to child survival and maternal health.

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Vientiane, September 23, 2009: The needs and rights of children will remain a key priority as Lao PDR moves towards its broader development goals, say senior government officials and the United Nations Children’s Agency, UNICEF. Read more

Vientiane, July 3, 2009: “Realistic solutions” to the invisible crisis of malnutrition were the focus of two four-day National Nutrition Policy Dissemination Workshops in Oudomxay and Champasack provinces, 6-9 and 26-29 May, said Dr. Bounkouang Phichit, Vice-Minister of Ministry of Health (MOH). 

Attended by 220 participants including Dr. Bounkouang Phichit, Mr. Khamhoung Houengvongsy, Vice-Ministers of MOH, Mr. Bounpone Vannachith, Vice-Governor of Oudomxay Province and Dr. Douangchan Keoasa, Director General of Department of Hygiene and Prevention MOH, the series of workshops had in-depth presentations and discussions on the National Plan of Action for Nutrition and the National Nutrition Strategy, focusing on their linkages with the National Nutrition Policy and all sectors related to nutrition.

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Government officials and international agencies began a twoday meeting in Vientiane today to review the impact of an experimental scheme to protect vulnerable children – especially those living in rural areas - from traffickers and other threats. Participants from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and other ministries were joined by officials from village, district and provincial levels as well as international NGOs, donors and UN agencies at the first national conference on Child Protection Networks (CPNs).

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Opening Remarks by Mrs Laila Ismail-Khan, UNICEF Representative