Ministry of Health updates international partners on progress towards new Health Sector Development Plan

On 30 September 2025, the 17^th Sector Working Group Policy Level Meeting was held at the Lao Plaza Hotel, Vientiane Capital, chaired by HE Madame Baykham Khattiya, Lao Minister of Health and co-chaired by HE Tsutomu Koizumi, Ambassador of Japan to Lao PDR and Dr Christopher Fitzpatrick, WHO Deputy Representative to Lao PDR. The meeting reviewed progress on the implementation of the 9^th five-year Health Sector Development Plan (2021-2025) and discuss the draft 10^th five-year Health Sector Development Plan (2026-2030). Attended by a wide array of development partners, the meeting provided an opportunity to agree key health priorities and coordinate support for accelerating progress toward universal health coverage and health-related Sustainable Development Goals in the country.

Lao PDR has made remarkable health progress in recent years, with particularly noteworthy improvements in maternal and child health and communicable diseases. For example, maternal deaths per 100,000 live births fell by 81.6% from 2000 to 2023, while malaria cases declined by 85% since 2022, to fewer than 350 in 2024.

"Lao PDR's health progress is a testament to our collective commitment and strategic focus over many years, with many partners," said HE Madame Baykham Khattiya, Lao Minister of Health.

"This meeting and its participants are crucial for shaping our health future, ensuring we build on our achievements and tackle new challenges head-on. By working together, we can create a resilient and equitable health system for all our people, and we are proud of the progress on a new, robust plan to guide health sector support in the coming years, and proud of the many partners joining us to ensure health for all.”

"The development of the 10th Health Sector Development Plan comes at a pivotal time for Lao PDR,” said Dr Christopher Fitzpatrick, WHO Deputy Representative to Lao PDR. “Transformative improvements in health demonstrate that success is possible, but we also see the work that remains.”

“As Lao PDR faces a potential decline in international assistance, our focus must be on maximizing resources and efficiencies: securing adequate domestic funding through health taxes, identifying a clear set of priorities with clearly mapped partner support through data-driven planning and implementation and monitoring, and increasing joint accountability to address the key challenges in the health sector; intensifying our focus on emerging health threats like Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and climate change; and prioritizing the poor and most vulnerable populations. These areas are critical for building a sustainable health system that can achieve universal health coverage and leave no one behind."

HE Tsutomu Koizumi, Ambassador of Japan to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, highlighted the importance of the collaborative process. "This meeting provides a vital opportunity for us to review progress made within the health sector in Lao PDR, to outline development plans for the forthcoming years, and to discuss how the Ministry of Health and we, development partners, can align our efforts toward common goals.

“This inclusive process, which actively engages the international community, is essential for ensuring that our joint efforts are well-coordinated and strategically aligned with the nation's key priorities. Japan's journey in enhancing public health commenced over 150 years ago, with a comprehensive approach by the entire government to improve the health of its citizens in order to strengthen the nation. This has laid the foundation for Japan's high health indicators today. Building on this experience, we remain committed to supporting Lao PDR on its path to a healthier future, together, and I am confident that all development partners stand ready."

The draft 10th Health Sector Development Plan will now undergo further development based on discussions and feedback from this and other consultative meetings. The Ministry of Health and partners will continue to work in close coordination to finalize and launch the plan and ensure its successful implementation, with the ultimate goal of advancing the country’s health agenda.