(KPL) Today, The Government of Lao PDR and partners came together to celebrate joint progress in maternal and newborn health over the last two decades, in recognition of the World Health Day 2025.

World Health Day is celebrated annually to drive global efforts to improve public health. With this year’s theme of “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures”, the focus is on ramping up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and to prioritising women’s long-term health.

On this occasion, the Government of Lao PDR alongside the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO commemorated joint progress in improving the health and wellbeing of women, children, and adolescents across the country through the United Nations Joint Programme (UNJP) for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health. Led by the Ministry of Health in partnership with Luxembourg and the aforementioned UN agencies, the UNJP – now in its 15th year – has been a cornerstone of health systems strengthening in the Lao PDR.

“Great progress has been made in the advancement of maternal and newborn health in the Lao PDR since the turn of the millennium. In this regard, the UNJP has been a key contributor in ensuring life-saving care reaches the most vulnerable ,” said Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health. “We thank all our partners in this endeavour and look forward to strengthening our partnership to further achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”

The UNJP has supported health facilities across the Lao PDR with essential equipment, training of health workers and village health volunteers, and the development of integrated package of health services focused on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. From planning and policy to healthcare delivery, the UNJP has helped ensure quality and sustainable health outcomes for every woman, newborn, child and young person across all stages of life.

Luxembourg is proud to work with the Lao PDR on its journey towards health for all. As the country moves toward graduation from Least Developed Country status, continued investment in maternal, newborn and child health is not just vital for sustaining progress in terms of health outcomes, but also essential for driving socio-economic development,” said Mr. Thomas Lammar, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Luxembourg in the Lao PDR.

"As the Lao PDR prepares to update its Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health strategy in 2025, there is an important window of opportunity to further accelerate our progress,” said Mr. Bilal Durrani, UNICEF Country Representative in the Lao PDR. “To do so, we must intensify investments in addressing remaining challenges around adolescent birth rate, child stunting and wasting, so a hopeful future is withing reach for all."

Echoing this, the UNFPA Representative in the Lao PDR, Dr. Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, emphasized the importance of evidence-based investments in health. “Now more than ever, it is crucial for Lao PDR to invest strategically in integrated health services, especially in family planning, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. Every dollar invested in these areas can yield up to six dollars in economic returns, while transforming lives and building human capital.  This is more than a health issue, it is a matter of national development, social equity, and the commitment to leave no one behind.”

Dr. Timothy Armstrong, WHO Representative in the Lao PDR, emphasized the need to adopt integrated approaches to further accelerate this progress. “We are thrilled to celebrate World Health Day together, providing a powerful reminder that progress in maternal and child health is only possible through strong partnership. It is more important than ever for the Lao PDR to integrate maternal and child health, immunization, and nutrition approaches, and we must do this together. By doing so, with sustained support from partners, we can ensure every mother and child can have healthy beginnings and hopeful futures.” 

KPL