Day: August 11, 2021

A signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) , each with grant assistance from the Government of India of US$50,000, took place on Aug 11, at the premises of the Ministry of Education and Sports in Vientiane.

The agreement was signed by Indian Ambassador to Laos Dinkar Asthana and Director of Vocational Training Department Nouphan Oudsa and Luang Prabang Provincial Education and Sports Department Vongphet Oudomlith.

Minister of Education and Sports Phout Simmalavong presided over the occasion. Senior officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Indian Embassy in Vientiane were also present.

Out of the three projects, two projects are to construct primary school buildings in Kewxang village (Phonthong district) and Nakheng village (Chomphet district), Luang Prabang Province.

The third project is the construction of a 5- room dormitory at the Lao India Entrepreneurship Development Centre (LIEDC) which was set up under India-ASEAN Cooperation Framework as part of Government of India’s support for initiatives of ASEAN Integration.

LIEDC was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister of India in Vientiane on Nov 27, 2004 and trains Lao entrepreneurs for setting up small and medium scale businesses. In its initial years, the LIEDC was fully supported by the Government of India, including by deputing faculty from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad. The Government of India also donated some gadgets like computers, lap tops, projectors, in 2018 as support to the centre.

The new dormitory at LIEDC will be of immense support to any trainers who may require accommodation including trainers from India. At present, the LIEDC does not have this facility.

The grant assistance is being extended through the Government of India’s Quick Impact Project (QIP) scheme under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation framework.

The QIP scheme is geared towards delivering socio-economic benefits to short gestation projects.

One Quick Impact Project in agriculture, viz. Establishment of a fertilizer analysis laboratory at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Lao PDR, has been completed and was formally handed over to the Government of the Lao PDR in April this year. Two more Quick Impact Projects in agriculture, namely, goat raising and green cardamom cultivation, are due to be completed shortly.

Minsiter Phout Simmalavong thanked the Government of India for providing assistance for implementation of three Quick Impact Projects. He said, these projects will facilitate the learning conditions for students.

The Ambassador observed that India and the Lao PDR share long-standing religious, cultural, and people-to-people linkages going back long into history. Diplomatic relations between the countries, as modern sovereign nation-states, were established in 1956, and they have exchanged several high-level visits over the decades.

This year, the Lao PDR and India are also celebrating the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. The Ambassador highlighted the fact that relations between India and the Lao PDR are based on respect for national sovereignty and mutual benefit in pursuit of development and upliftment of the peoples of the two countries.

India’s development cooperation portfolio in the Lao PDR stretches across a broad canvass capacity building through Indian Technical and Economic (ITEC) Programme and long-term scholarships for higher studies, Quick Impact Projects for socio-economic development under grant assistance, projects under lines of credit or soft loans, joint Lao-India centres for English language training and entrepreneurship development as well as heritage conservation projects, including restoration of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the iconic Vat Phou (originally, a Shiva temple), by experts from the Archaeological Survey of India deputed under the ITEC Programme.

The Government of India continues to support and collaborate with various Ministries, Departments of the government of the Lao PDR under different frameworks and mechanisms.

Source: Lao News Agency

Ms. Bouathong Lattana, 72, is a resident of Parhao Tai village of Houaxay District, Bokeo Province.

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Bokeo, she was very worried, but at the same time she was also slightly hesitant about getting vaccinated since Ms. Bouathong has several underlying health conditions.

However, after seeking out advice from medical doctors and checking information from official sources, such as national media outlets, about COVID-19 vaccination, Ms. Bouathong eventually decided to get her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine a few weeks ago.

She said she did not experience any symptoms whatsoever after her first dose and eagerly looked forward to getting her second dose.

The day when she got her second dose, she came very early in the morning to the vaccination centre to queue up, meanwhile always remembering to maintain a distance of at least one metre from other people around her.

When she heard her name being called, she swiftly walked up to the registration desk and proceeded to clean her hands with the alcohol gel provided, after which the medical staff took her temperature and pulse and verified all her documents. When the medical staff said that everything was in order and she could get her vaccination now, Ms. Bouathong was visibly happy.

“I now feel safer and grateful to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Nevertheless, I will continue following the doctor’s advice on regularly cleaning my hands with alcohol gel, wearing a face mask whenever I go outside and practicing social distancing in public spaces,” said Ms. Bouathong.

“I believe vaccination is vital in protecting people from COVID-19. I would like to thank the Lao Government and partner countries who have donated vaccines to our country and would also like to thank UNICEF, WHO and other development partners for their support towards the Lao PDR’s COVID-19 response overall. I’ve heard about the COVAX Facility before and while I may not know much about what type of organization they are, I know that they are helping to provide vaccines to the Lao PDR,” Ms. Bouathong added.

Source: Lao News Agency

) Laos has recorded 285 new cases of Covid-19 including 278 cases classified as imported infections and seven as local transmissions, a meeting was told today.

The local cases were reported in Bokeo 3, Champassak 2, Savannakhet 1, and Attapeu 1.

The imported infections included 97 cases reported in Savannakhet, 78 in Champassak, 60 in Khammuan, 30 in Vientiane, 12 in Saravan, one in Vientiane (province).

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country has reached 9,161 including 4,100 active cases and eight deaths.

Over 14,000 people are being quarantined at 100 quarantine centres and 48 hotels across the country, according to Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Sisavath Soutthanilaxay.

It is mandatory for now for individuals who have completed 14-day mandatory quarantine at central or provincial quarantine centres after entering the Lao PDR to continue to be quarantined at district or village quarantine centres for another 14 days so as to prevent major community outbreaks.

Authorities are hunting an infected woman escaping from a quarantine centre (Khammuan provincial stadium) in Khammuan last night. The woman, in her late 20s, was confirmed positive to Covid-19 on Aug 10.

“Now she is at large, therefore I would like to ask her to report to us to get medical treatment so that the virus will not infect her family, relatives and other people,” said Dr Sisavath Soutthanilaxay.

Source: Lao News Agency

On Aug 6, the first multi-sectoral consultation meeting on Gender-based Violence (GBV) was attended by NCAWMC, Lao Women Union, Police, People’s Supreme Court, Hospitals and the social sectors with the aim of establishing common understanding on coordination mechanism, referral system, and monitoring framework for GBV response.

Director General, Cabinet Office of the Ministry of Health, Chanthanom Manithip said “I’m honoured to be a part of today’s meeting to discuss the mechanism for coordinating, referring, and collecting the data to assist victims. The Ministry of Health has completed a Training of Trainers on the WHO Clinical Handbook for Health Care for Women Subjected to Intimate Partner Violence or Sexual Violence. Thanks to UNFPA who supported the training and adapted the Handbook so that we have a unified guidance on providing healthcare to survivors.”

The health sector response to GBV is critical as the front-line support to women injured from violence, who seek healthcare and support. A quality health service response ensures survivors have access to the highest attainable health standard. Health providers (nurses, midwives, doctors and others) are often the first professional contact for survivors, and the trained health service providers can facilitate survivors’ access to a full range of support systems.

This multi-sectoral mechanism on GBV response is part of the Essential Services Package (ESP) for prevention and response to violence against women and girls. The ESP is a guidance tool identifying the essential services that should be provided by the health, social services, police, and justice sectors. These services should be provided to all women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. Implementation of the ESP involves sector efforts as well as cross sector coordinated responses so that a survivor centered response is set up.

UNFPA Country Representative Mariam Khan said “ I congratulate the government for its commitment to ending violence against women. The national framework for bodily autonomy for SDG indicator 5.6.2 in the Lao PDR is amongst the most progressive thanks to the improvement of legislation, and the capacity building of duty bearers. COVID-19 has exacerbated the crisis of violence against women and girls, and there is an urgency to respond with services that translate policies into action”

UNFPA works with the government to establish a national coordination mechanism and referral pathway for GBV, and strengthen the health sector’s capacity. These interventions align with international instruments ratified by the Lao PDR, such as CEDAW and ICPD25, and combine a top-down and bottom-up approach—capacity building for duty bearers to detect and prevent GBV, while also sensitizing rights holders on how to assert their rights.

The meeting ended with participants agreeing to strengthen internal and cross sector mechanisms through detailed technical follow up.

Source: Lao News Agency