Laos 1,000 Days Program: Stories of Change

Lamvong and her son Sambom (1 year, 2 months) Vilabouly District

Lamvong sits at a health outreach site in Vilabouly District with her 14 month old son, Sambom. She has come to the outreach clinic today, as she does every three months, to ensure Sambom accesses regular health services as he grows through the critical first 1,000 days of his life.

The 1,000 Days Program is implemented in collaboration between UNICEF Lao PDR, the Ministry of Health and Lao Women’s Union, with support from long term partner MMG. Its aim is to improve the nutritional status of infants and young children in rural areas of Lao PDR. Good nutrition is critical to children’s physical and cognitive development and has long lasting impacts on children throughout their lives. In the province of Savannakhet, where Lamvong lives, stunting in children is high, at 30%. Stunting, is a result of chronic undernutrition and in Lao PDR presents a significant challenge. The 1,000 Days program aims to address stunting and micronutrient deficiencies through taking a broad approach to promoting care practices, such as exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months, ensuring children eat a diverse range of nutritious foods beyond 6 months, handwashing and hygiene practices.

Today, at the health outreach clinic, Sambom is weighed and measured to monitor his growth, and Lamvong collects a three month supply of Super Kid, a micronutrient powder especially designed to supplement the diet of children aged 6 months to 2 years to support their physical and cognitive development during this crucial period. Members of the Lao Women’s Union also give a cooking demonstration, showing how MNP can be added to different types of local food for best effect.

Lamvong proudly talks about the good health of her children. Recognising this, her friends and neighbours ask her for advice on how to keep their babies healthy and as we talk Lamvong asks for advice about what to do when children have poor appetite so that she can share this information with her peers. “I like to help others”, she says, knowing that successes with her children can inspire those around her.

The same day, Vice Chief of Village, Syda shares her experiences of the 1,000 Days Program. Syda has been closely involved in her role as Vice Chief, and also as an active member of the Lao Women’s Union, sharing important nutrition information with parents in her village.

Syda (right) – Vice Chief of Village (Muangluang), Vilabouly District

Since the 1,000 Days program began in her village, Syda has seen big changes. “Children are more healthy”, she says. Where in the past diarrhoea and fever were common, this is happening less and less as hygiene and nutrition practices improve.

Phone, with Bounmy (9 months)

In a nearby district of Atsaphone, Phone is receiving Super Kid for the first time. This is the first time the micronutrient powder has been distributed to her village and the health outreach clinic commences with an information session from Lao Women’s Union volunteers on infant and young child feeding practices.

For many parents in her village, knowledge of nutrition requirements for young children is limited and these information sessions provide an opportunity to build knowledge around these needs, particularly during the 1,000 Day period.

Phone says that she appreciates receiving this extra information about her daughter’s growth and development and is ready to start adding Super Kid to meals for Bounmy.

“I will use Super Kid to make my baby healthy and strong” she says.

Press release: Lao PDR’s First Ever Cholera Vaccination Campaign Launched in Flood-hit Sanamxay District

Vientiane Capital, 25 August 2018 – The Ministry of Health with support from UNICEF and the World Health Organization has launched the first ever cholera vaccination campaign in Lao PDR targeting flood-affected communities.

The OCV campaign has begun at the main camp at Sanamxay District. 

Photo credit: Simon Nazer (UNICEF)

During the first phase of the cholera vaccination campaign from 23 to 30 August, about 5,000 doses will be administered to flood-affected communities in Sanamxai district.  An additional 19,700 doses will be used in a second round. In total, 12,350 people will receive the two doses of the vaccine administered in two phases of this campaign until September 2018.

“Cholera is a devastating disease which can spreads quickly and kills fast. Increased risks can be seen after severe flooding. The Ministry of Health has been monitoring 15 communicable diseases to protect against potential outbreaks, and this vaccination campaign along with the efforts made to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) will protect the people living in the shelters,” stated Assoc. Prof. Dr Bounkong Syhavong, Health Minister.

Cholera is a serious bacterial disease that usually causes acute severe diarrhoea and dehydration. It is caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with faecal material that contains the bacterium Vibrio Cholera. It affects both children and adults and can kill within hours. The short incubation period of two hours to five days, enhances the potentially explosive pattern of outbreaks.

“Considering the water and sanitation conditions in the overcrowded shelters and the increased risk of disease outbreaks during this rainy season, we need to support the Ministry of Health to take all possible measures to prevent cholera and other water and vector borne diseases. There is not currently a cholera outbreak in the country, but preventive measures are to be taken given the circumstances,” said Dr Juliet Fleischl, WHO Representative to Lao PDR.

Cholera occurs mainly in areas where there is open defecation, poor sanitation and personal hygiene, and a lack of clean drinking water. In some areas where latrines and toilet areas are in close proximity, it can contaminate surface water, shallow dug wells and boreholes including piped water; when a person’s hands contaminated with faecal material touches food, fruits or in contact with stored water.

“UNICEF is working with partners to provide training and support for activities that engage and educate communities about communicable diseases including cholera, putting emphasis on hygiene promotion. Trained staff have been deployed in the affected area to spread the word through social mobilisation in the camps. In addition, we are scaling up water, sanitation and hygiene efforts to ensure affected populations have access to clean water and sanitation facilities,” explained Myo Zin Nyunt, UNICEF Acting Representative to Lao PDR.

For the cholera vaccination campaign, seven mobile teams, comprising of 3-4 members, and other two teams based in the primary camp in Sanamxay district are carrying out the vaccination activities covering emergency shelters and host communities through door-to-door service. Teams are also organising awareness sessions and spreading messages on hygiene, food preparation, management of acute diarrhea and oral rehydration.

WHO recommends that vaccination against cholera be considered in emergencies like severe flooding where there are increased threats of outbreaks, when combined with standard prevention and control measures for the disease. These measures include readiness to provide adequate testing and treatment, steps to ensure access to safe water and sanitation, and community mobilization to engage the public in preventing infection.

Data have shown oral cholera vaccines to be safe and effective in humanitarian crises with high risk of cholera. The vaccines should always be used in conjunction with other cholera prevention and control strategies.

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About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children in Lao PDR, visit http://www.unicef.org/laos   

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About WHO

We are the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the United Nations’ system. We do this by: providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed; shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge; setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their implementation; articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options; providing technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable institutional capacity; and monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.

http://www.wpro.who.int/laos/en/

For more information, please contact:

Maria Fernandez, UNICEF Lao PDR, (+856) 2055519681, mfernandez@unicef.org

Irene Tan, WHO Lao PDR, 856-2078113933 tanir@who.int