Day: February 1, 2022

Over 4 million people, representing 55.9% of population in the country have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh told a press conference today.

Meanwhile, over 4.7 million people, accounting for 64.51% of the population, have been given at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Laos has logged 585 new Covid-19 cases and four new deaths attributed to Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 134,438, including 5,517 active cases and 551 deaths.

The new daily infections included 139 cases in Phongsaly, 102 in Vientiane, 49 in Saravan, and 31 in Xieng Khuang.

Source: Lao News Agency

Overview

In this edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Operational Update, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to countries include:

• Receiving 230 Oxygen Cylinders in Suriname, donated by Germany and PAHO/WHO

• Holding the first mentors training in the World Health Emergencies Balkan Hub

• Marking one year of COVID-19 vaccination in India

• Setting up country support teams to scale up COVID-19 Vaccination in the WHO African region

• Supporting Iraq with over 20 tons of medical supplies to enhance national response to COVID-19 health challenges in the Kurdistan region

• Receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, donated by the United States of America through the COVAX Facility

• Strengthening occupational health and safety in Japan during the pandemic

• Hosting the first Regional team member training at the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Training Centre for Africa

• Updates on WHO’s financing to support countries on COVID-19 response implementation to suppress transmission, reduce exposure, and protect the vulnerable and save lives

• Progress on a subset of global indicators that demonstrate country and global progress to end the acute phase of the pandemic

Source: World Health Organization

VIENTIANE –The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today presented WFP’s new Country Strategic Plan 2022-2026 to Government and partners. With it, WFP recommits its support to the Government of Lao PDR in improving food security, reducing malnutrition and ensuring sustainable food systems for all, as the country prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country status.

“Today is a special and important event. The Government of Lao PDR with top management from ministries, together with WFP’s Country Director jointly planned and organised this launch of WFP’s new Country Strategic Plan 2022-2026,” said Sthabandith Insisiengmay, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment.

The plan contributes to several outcomes of Lao PDR’s 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan, the UN’s Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, and sectoral strategies such as the National Nutrition Strategy.

“The pivotal role of WFP is in creating enabling circumstances for the Government of Lao PDR. We are emphasising transition strategies for the handover of activities to the Government and communities, while aligning our interventions with our sister agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), as well as UNICEF and other donors and partners,” said WFP Country Director and Representative Jan Delbaere.

The four pillars of the Country Strategic Plan evolve around WFP’s value proposition for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, by expanding and strengthening the Government’s school meals programme, supporting the prevention of malnutrition, working to enhance community resilience and ensure food security, as well as supporting the Government’s emergency response efforts.

WFP, the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, has provided support to the people of Lao since 1975. In 2000, WFP established a permanent presence in the country providing flood relief assistance, and in 2012 shifted to a development portfolio. The organisation employs over 170 staff around Laos, with presence in one fourth of all villages across 16 provinces of the country. WFP’s long-term commitment is to gradually transfer all programmes to the Government and communities as independently owned, managed and implemented food and nutrition security solutions.

Despite significant progress, Laos still ranks 78th out of 116 countries on the Global Hunger Index. Stunting continues to affect one in three children and 20 percent of the population faces food insecurity during the lean season. Anaemia rates remain high, while wasting rates increased between 2011 and 2017. In addition, the number of obese and overweight people is increasing. Laos is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with natural disasters increasing in frequency and scale, and the COVID-19 crisis further weakening people’s resilience against recurrent shocks.

Source: World Health Organization