Dr Phouthone Meuangpak, Vice Minister of Health and Dr Howard SOBEL, Acting WHO Representative to Lao PDR today took up the #SafeHandsChallenge. Both are featured washing their hands thoroughly in a video uploaded by the Ministry on Facebook today. WHO and the Ministry of Health are encouraging everyone in Lao PDR, but especially health workers, to take up the #SafeHandsChallenge today to mark World Hand Hygiene Day. Washing hands regularly is now more important than ever in Lao PDR and around the world as authorities battle to halt the spread of COVID-19. Though there have been no cases reported since 11 April, the government, with support from WHO and international partners is determined to continue strengthening its defences against the pandemic.
Speaking about the #SafeHandsChallenge, Dr Howard Sobel, Acting WHO Representative to Lao PDR said: “Clean care saves lives. From the late 19th century, when having midwives at births first became standard in these countries, through to the 1950s, both the UK and Japan reduced the number of women who died during childbirth from between 50 and 60 per thousand live births down to around 4. Clean hands of midwives at birth greatly contributed to this more than 10-fold reduction of maternal mortality. Now more than ever, keeping hands clean protects health workers, families and communities alike.”
World Hand Hygiene Day and the #SafeHands Challenge
World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated on 5 May every year. It is part of a wider campaign by WHO “SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands”. In 2020, which has been designated by WHO as Year of the Nurse and Midwife, these key health workers are the focus of the day. The slogan for 2020 is Nurses and Midwives: Clean Care is in Your Hands.
The #SafeHandsChallenge was initiated by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom in March to promote global solidarity against COVID-19. It is a way for people to demonstrate their commitment to keeping their families and communities safe.
People from across the world and from many different walks of life have recorded videos for the #SafeHandsChallenge. These include French football star Kylian Mbappe, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and American singer / actor Selena Gomez – along with many health workers and ordinary people.
For more information see:
https://www.who.int/infection-prevention/campaigns/clean-hands/5may2020/en/
Lao PDR contains first COVID-19 outbreak but continues on high alert
The first case of COVID-19 in Lao PDR was announced on 24 March. By then, schools, universities and places of entertainment (bars, cinemas, theatres, massage parlours) had already closed and travellers from countries with more than 100 COVID-19 cases were subject to 14 days quarantine. More confirmed cases followed that week. Then on 30 March Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith announced a nationwide lockdown. Travel between provinces was banned and everyone other than essential workers was told to stay at home. People were only allowed to leave home to buy food and other essentials, or to seek medical care.
The lockdown was originally meant to last up until 19 April, which meant people could not travel or hold family gatherings of more than 10 people over the Lao New Year period (13-16 April). It was then extended until 3 May. From 24 March until 14 April a further 18 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases so far in Lao PDR to 19. All cases were linked either to travel or to existing lines of transmission. The country’s timely and aggressive response has undoubtedly bought it more time to prepare.
Since 4 May, non-essential shops, businesses and factories have started to reopen. Schools and universities will reopen later in the month as long as there is not a further COVID-19 outbreak. However, sporting events and mass gatherings continue to be cancelled and entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bars remain closed.
WHO, USAID and other development partners support Lao PDR COVID-19 response
Since late March, the government with support from WHO and international partners has intensified efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, while at the same time preparing for the threat of a large outbreak. WHO has supported the Ministry of Health in tracing, quarantining and monitoring all close contacts of know COVID-19 cases. This approach identified several new cases, who could then be treated in special hospital facilities set-up to safely isolate people with COVID-19.
The Ministry of Health and WHO have been working with local authorities around the country to make sure that every province has at least one hospital (usually in the provincial capital) where staff are trained to treat and safely isolate patients with COVID-19. WHO and international partners have also supported a scaling up of risk communication about COVID-19 and how to prevent it. With the nation-wide lock down, “love your family, love your country, stay at home” became a key message, along with the need to observe physical distancing when out in public. All this work and more are supported with funding from the United States Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
In March, USAID awarded a grant of nearly USD 2 million to the Ministry of Health to support its response to COVID-19. This is grant is being implemented through Save the Children, UNICEF and WHO. It is being used to source and pay for essential medical equipment like a mobile digital X-ray machine, laboratory equipment and supplies. It has been used to buy modern IT-equipment to facilitate tracing the close contacts of COVID-19 cases and to train health staff in provinces across the country on how to safely care for and treat patients with COVID-19.