Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is essential for keeping patients and healthcare workers infecsafe. Strong IPC measures can reduce the risk of infections during a hospital stay by up to 70%, improve the overall quality of care and trust in health services - and create a safer healthcare environment for everyone. Beyond the clinical benefits, effective IPC also helps reduce avoidable healthcare costs for both patients and the health system, making it a key investment in sustainable, high-quality care.
In Lao PDR, IPC is a cornerstone of safe, high-quality healthcare. However, the country faces persistent challenges including limited infrastructure, resource constraints, and a high burden of infectious diseases. These make embedding strong IPC practices into routine care essential to protect both patients and healthcare workers – and not just during outbreaks, when IPC challenges become particularly acute.
To address some of the challenges, the Ministry of Health’s Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation (DHR), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has introduced simulation-based IPC training for the first time, for five Vientiane central hospitals.
“In Lao PDR, previous IPC trainings and support have ensured good foundations, and built awareness and technical knowledge among healthcare workers,” said WHO Western Pacific Region Technical Officer, Dr Zhao Li.
“But, bringing challenging scenarios and practical examples to life, where participants are assessed in real-time while managing simulated patients in actual hospital wards, greatly improves the learning experience, and quality of skills that healthcare workers then put to use. We’ve seen firsthand the rapid improvement in IPC practice across simulated case scenarios, and know this will translate into better, safer care for patients.”
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Healthcare workers take part in IPC simulation-based training in hospital wards. Credit: WHO/Zhao Li and WHO/Soudthida Thepsouvanh.
The training aimed to equip a cohort of ten national IPC trainers, from five central hospitals, with the knowledge and skills needed to cascade these capabilities to other healthcare workers at a national, provincial and district level.
Skills and areas of focus included microbiology and modes of transmission, hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment, safe injections, environmental disinfection, safe waste management, processing of medical equipment, safe and respectful patient care, occupational safety, and more.
A pre- and post-training evaluation showed that over 85% of participants felt more confident in applying IPC practices, including safe patient management and training others.
Importantly, using WHO tools, trainers monitor staff use of IPC techniques and skills in real time, and use findings to generate hospital-specific solutions and quality improvement plans for immediate and longer-term changes – with regular follow-ups and support as needed.
“Simulation-based training is an important tool that helps healthcare workers deepen their understanding of IPC measures and apply them effectively in daily practice,” said Dr Somchanh Thounsavath, Deputy Director General of the Department Healthcare and Rehabilitation at the Lao Ministry of Health. “Strengthening IPC is central to patient safety and quality improvement, and we are proud to partner with WHO to advance this important work in Lao PDR.”
“Strong IPC will save lives, and reduces unnecessary medical costs for both patients and the health system,” said WHO Lao PDR Health System Team Lead Dr Yu Lee Park. “Through this hands-on training, healthcare workers in Lao PDR are building the skills and confidence they need to protect patients, themselves, and their colleagues.”
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Healthcare workers are trained to collect and analyze data to develop hospital improvement plans. Credit: WHO/Zhao Li, WHO/Soudthida Thepsouvanh
"This training was incredibly helpful,” said Ms. Sivanh Sibounhueang, Vice Head of Mittaphab Hospital’s Nursing Department. “It deepened our understanding of IPC in a practical way, with skills we can put to use immediately, especially for keeping work environments sterile. Everyone shared their thoughts, and got hands-on experience by rotating roles. I feel more confident in my work now, and better equipped to keep both patients and myself safe."
Following the success of this initial training, the Ministry of Health and WHO plan to expand simulation-based IPC training to additional central and provincial hospitals, further strengthening essential IPC skills across the country.
This initiative is one part of WHO’s ongoing support to the Ministry of Health to implement the National Strategy (2022–2032) and Five-Year Development Plan (2022-2027) for Infection Prevention and Control for all Healthcare Facilities. It complements broader efforts, including the development of essential IPC guidelines, national assessments, monitor IPC quality and issues, utilize data to improve practices, and improve IPC compliance in healthcare facilities.