Vientiane, Dec 19 (IANS) Laos’ Ministry of Agriculture and Environment convened a meeting to review progress and plan future efforts to reduce poverty and malnutrition, focusing on improving living conditions and providing health and nutrition support.
The national steering committee meeting of the rural poverty and malnutrition reduction project assessed the project’s 2025 implementation and outlined the 2026 work plan. Participants provided active and constructive feedback, demonstrating their commitment to the project’s success, according to the ministry’s report, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The five-year project, running from 2024 to 2028, aims to improve living conditions and provide health and nutrition support to poor families. It covers seven provinces, including Phongsaly, Oudomxay, Xieng Khuang, Huaphan, Savannakhet, Salavan, and Sekong, spanning 25 districts and 1,665 villages.
Speaking at the meeting, Lao Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Kikeo Singnavong highlighted the importance of strict adherence to personnel management, activity planning, budgeting, and project coordination.
He expressed confidence that the project will strengthen rural development and poverty reduction efforts.
The Laos government is prioritizing child nutrition to support brain development and drive national growth. Efforts to combat malnutrition include strengthening coordination, increasing funding, using data for evidence-based programs, and scaling up key maternal and child nutrition interventions across sectors.
Earlier this month, Laos launched a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign to protect young girls from cervical cancer, highlighting the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public health, particularly among youth.
Laos has launched the 2025 HPV vaccination campaign, providing free HPV vaccines to girls aged 10 nationwide.
At the campaign launch in Lao capital Vientiane in early December, Deputy Governor of Vientiane Phouvong Vongkhamsao praised international partners for their support, emphasizing the growing role of health and disease prevention in reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Each year, about 320 Lao women develop cervical cancer. The Lao government has long promoted women’s health, ensuring that girls and women have access to proper healthcare.
“I am grateful that the Lao government provides free HPV vaccination, giving all girls the right to protection. I believe this is a significant effort to enhance public health services in Laos,” a father of two daughters in Vientiane told Xinhua on Wednesday.
He shared his concerns about his children, emphasizing that access to free vaccination should be a basic right for all children.
“I want them to grow up healthy and strong, and I know cervical cancer is one of the most serious diseases affecting women. When the time comes, I will make sure both of my daughters receive the vaccine as soon as they are eligible,” he added.
–IANS
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