The Ministry of Health supports the development of rehabilitation countrywide.
On 16 July 2021, USAID Okard supported the Department of Health and Rehabilitation (DHR), Ministry of Health to conduct the first National Rehabilitation Committee Meeting. During the meeting, the participants from central hospitals and relevant MOH departments discussed tangible actions to be taken to implement the National Rehabilitation Medicine Strategy 2020-2025. The rehabilitation committee confirmed the importance of increasing rehabilitation for strengthening the health systems in Laos and the intention to follow the recommendations of the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 initiative.
Rehabilitation is a set of exercises and treatments that can reduce disability and improve the function and independence of children, adults, or older people to perform self-care, daily life activities and communication after a disease, an injury and surgery or simply because of aging.
USAID Okard, funded by USAID and implemented by World Education, improves access to quality healthcare and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities, and supports design and implementation of disabilities inclusive policies.
“I am happy to continue the VET training with the Okard project, this time we learned more about possible environmental issues, how to create safe and clean environments for livestock, and animal health risk control which is helpful for everyone who is beginning their livestock activity for income generation” – said one of the village veterinary volunteers.
On 29 June to 1 July 2021, with the support of USAID Okard, the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO) and the District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO) delivered a second vet training and pig raising training to village veterinary volunteers, Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) facilitators and CBID beneficiaries in Kham District, Xieng Khouang Province. This included families that have had their land checked and cleared by UXO Lao and are now ready to start their IGA with USAID Okard support.
The training for village veterinary volunteers, CBID facilitators and beneficiaries builds on the lessons in the first training in December, as well as the addition of pig raising training. Topics taught included best practices on animal shelter preparation and how to keep animals healthy and disease free.
Participants practiced how to make their own manure fertilizer with close guidance from PAFO and DAFO. The village veterinary volunteers and CBID facilitators will continue to support PAFO and DAFO to work with persons with disabilities and their families when they receive animals as part of the income generation activity, and offer continued coaching to support families to successfully raise healthy animals and generate income for the household.
USAID Okard, funded by USAID and implemented by World Education, improves access to quality healthcare and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities, and supports design and implementation of disabilities inclusive policies.
“ຂ້ອຍດີໃຈທີ່ໄດ້ມາສືບຕໍ່ການຝຶກອົບຮົມ ສັດຕະວະແພດ ກັບໂຄງການ ໂອກາດ ອີກຄັ້ງ, ໃນເທື່ອນີ້ ພວກເຮົາໄດ້ຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບ ບັນຫາສິ່ງແວດລ້ອມ, ວິທີການ ສ້າງສະພາບແວດລ້ອມທີ່ປອດໄພ ແລະ ສະອາດ ສໍາລັດສັດລ້ຽງ, ແລະ ການຄວບຄຸມບັນຫາສຸຂະພາບຂອງສັດລ້ຽງ ເຊິ່ງນັ້ນ ແມ່ນເປັນປະໂຫຍດຫຼາຍ ໃຫ້ແກ່ທຸກຄົນ ທີ່ຈະເລີ່ມກິດຈະກໍາການລ້ຽງສັດ ສໍາລັບ ກິດຈະກໍາການສ້າງລາຍຮັບ” – ກ່າວໂດຍ ໜຶ່ງ ໃນອາສາສະໝັກ ສັດຕະວະແພດບ້ານ.
ໃນວັນທີ 29 ມິຖຸນາ ຫາ ວັນທີ 1 ກໍລະກົດ 2021, ໂດຍການສະໜັບສະໜູນຈາກ ໂຄງການ ໂອກາດ, ຫ້ອງການກະສິກຳ ແລະ ປ່າໄມ້ແຂວງ (PAFO) ແລະ ຫ້ອງການກະສິກຳ ແລະ ປ່າໄມ້ເມືອງ (DAFO) ໄດ້ຈັດການຝຶກອົບຮົມສັດຕະວະແພດ ເປັນຄັ້ງທີ່ສອງ ແລະ ການຝຶກອົບຮົມການລ້ຽງໝູ ໃຫ້ອາສາສະໝັກບ້ານ, ຜູ້ອຳນວຍຄວາມສະດວກພາກສະໜາມ CBID ແລະ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດຈາກ CBID ຈາກເມືອງຄຳ, ແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງ. ເຊິ່ງນີ້ ແມ່ນລວມເຖິງຄອບຄົວທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບການກວດກາ ແລະ ເກັບກູ້ລະເບີດທີ່ບໍ່ທັນແຕກ ໂດຍ ໂຄງການເກັບກູ້ລະເບີດແຫ່ງຊາດ (UXO Lao) ແລະ ປັດຈຸບັນເຂົາເຈົ້າສາມາດ ຈະປະຕິບັດ ກິດຈະກໍາການສ້າງລາຍຮັບ ໂດຍການສະໜັບສະໜູນ ຈາກໂຄງການ ໂອກາດ.
ການຝຶກອົບຮົມ ສຳ ລັບອາສາສະ ໝັກ ສັດຕະວະແພດບ້ານ, ຜູ້ອຳນວຍຄວາມສະດວກພາກສະໜາມ CBID ແລະ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດ ໃນຄັ້ງນີ້ ແມ່ນເປັນຫົວຂໍ້ຕໍ່ເນື່ອງຈາກ ການເຝິກອົບຮົມຄັ້ງທີ່ໜຶ່ງ ໃນເດືອນ ທັນວາ ທີ່ຜ່ານມາ, ໂດຍໃນເທື່ອນີ້ແມ່ນມີການຝຶກອົບຮົມການລ້ຽງໝູ. ເຊິ່ງຫົວຂໍ້ທີ່ໃນການອົບຮົມ ແມ່ນປະກອບມີການກະກຽມຄອກສັດ ແລະ ວິທີການຮັກສາສຸຂະພາບສັດ.
ຜູ້ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມໄດ້ມີໂອກາດຝຶກອົບຮົມ ໃນການເຮັດປຸຍຄອກຂອງຕົນເອງ ໂດຍການແນະນໍາຢ່າງໃກ້ຊິດຈາກ ຫ້ອງການກະສິກຳ ແລະ ປ່າໄມ້ແຂວງ ແລະ ເມືອງ. ອາສາສະໝັກສັດຕະວະແພດບ້ານ ແລະ ຜູ້ອຳນວຍຄວາມສະດວກ CBID ຈະສືບຕໍ່ ສະໜັບສະໜູນ PAFO ແລະ DAFO ໃນການຝຶກອົບຮົມຄົນທີ່ມີຄວາມພິການ ແລະ ຄອບຄົວຂອງພວກເຂົາ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ພວກເຂົາກຽມພ້ອມທີ່ຈະໄດ້ຮັບສັດເປັນສ່ວນໜຶ່ງຂອງກິດຈະກຳສ້າງລາຍໄດ້ ແລະ ການຝຶກສອນຢ່າງຕໍ່ເນື່ອງ ເພື່ອສະໜັບສະໜູນຄອບຄົວໃນການລ້ຽງສັດທີ່ມີສຸຂະພາບແຂງແຮງ ແລະ ສ້າງລາຍໄດ້ໃຫ້ແກ່ຄອບຄົວ.
ໂຄງການ USAID ໂອກາດ ໃຫ້ການສະໜັບສະໜູນທຶນໂດຍ ອົງການພັດທະນາສາກົນ ປະເທດສະຫະລັດອາເມລິກາ (USAID) ແລະ ຈັດຕັ້ງປະຕິບັດໂດຍ ອົງການ ເວີລດ໌ເອດຢູເຄຊັນ ປະຈຳ ສປປ ລາວ, ເພື່ອເສີມຂະຫຍາຍການເຂົ້າເຖິງການຮັກສາສຸຂະພາບ ແລະ ໂອກາດທາງດ້ານເສດຖະກິດ ສຳລັບຄົນທີ່ມີຄວາມພິການ, ພ້ອມທັງສະໜັບສະໜູນໃຫ້ ເຂົາເຈົ້າ ມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມໃນການອອກແບບນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ປະຕິບັດວຽກງານໃນການພັດທະນາມີແບບສ່ວນຮ່ວມ.
Most people will need rehabilitation at some point in their life due to illness, injury or the effects of ageing; however, too often there is a lack of trained rehabilitation workers to meet this need. The Center for Medical Rehabilitation (CMR) is the key actor for building the capacity of health professionals to deliver rehabilitation services in health facilities in the Lao PDR.
USAID Okard is supporting the CMR to establish a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Training Center on Rehabilitation for Health Professionals to increase the number of trained health professionals available to provide rehabilitation services.
On 1 – 2 July 2021, CMR, with the USAID Okard technical team, conducted the 1st CPDTC Steering Committee. During the meeting, the CMR team learned about the WHO Rehabilitation Competency Framework, developed job descriptions for the 12 core trainers, and reviewed the expected competencies of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists to be trained at the center. Over the next month, CMR will initiate the recruitment of core trainers from CMR and other central level health facilities that excel in their rehabilitation profession and are highly motivated to build the capacity of primary health care rehabilitation workers.
USAID Okard, funded by USAID and implemented by World Education, improves access to quality healthcare and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities, and supports design and implementation of disabilities inclusive policies.
Starting from early April 2021, the USAID Okard Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) team proceeded with the Income Generation Activity (IGA), which provides beneficiaries with financial literacy, farm and non-farm training, tools, advice on suitable locations for home gardens and shelter, and assets such as poultry and goats, based on beneficiaries’ preferences.
In Xayphouthong District, Savannakhet Province, IGAs are overseen by the Association for Rural Mobilisation and Improvement (ARMI) CBID team together with the local authorities from District Labor and Social welfare and District of Agriculture and Forestry, village authorities and VET volunteers in 16 villages. Together they help beneficiaries understand the concept of IGA, complete business plans, procure assets, and provide continued support so the beneficiaries can continue the IGA on their own until they start to generate income . In Xayphouthong, 65 beneficiaries have received 169 goats so far.
In the other Okard CBID target district of Kham in Xieng Khouang Province, the Quality of Life Association (QLA) CBID team is using the same IGA approach to ensure that beneficiaries have sustainable sources of income and can contribute to the development of their households and communities. Moreover, to ensure that no one is harmed or fatally injured from UXO, from May 31 to June 4 UXO Lao cleared the land of 14 families in high-risk UXO areas of Kham district, so they can now proceed with their IGA with the peace of mind that their land is free from UXO.
USAID Okard, funded by USAID and implemented by World Education and Humanity & Inclusion, improves access to quality healthcare and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities, and supports design and implementation of disabilities inclusive policies.
ເລີ່ມແຕ່ຕົ້ນ ເດືອນເມສາ ປີ 2021 ທີ່ຜ່ານມາ, ທີມງານ ການພັດທະນາແບບມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມຂັ້ນຊຸມຊົນ (CBID) ຂອງໂຄງການ USAID ໂອກາດ ໄດ້ດຳເນີນກິດຈະກຳສ້າງລາຍຮັບ (IGA) ເຊິ່ງສະໜອງຄວາມຮັບຮູ້ ແລະ ກິດຈະກໍາຕ່າງໆ ໃຫ້ແກ່ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດ ບໍ່ວ່າຈະເປັນການຮຽນຮູ້ດ້ານການເງິນ, ການຝຶກອົບຮົມດ້ານກະສິກຳ ແລະ ບໍ່ແມ່ນກະສິກຳ, ເຄື່ອງມື, ຄຳແນະນຳ ທີ່ກ່ຽວກັບສະຖານທີ່ທີ່ ເໝາະສົມ ສຳລັບການເຮັດສວນ ແລະ ຄອກສັດ, ແລະ ສັດລ້ຽງຕ່າງໆເຊັ່ນ: ສັດປີກ ແລະ ແບ້ ໂດຍອີງໃສ່ຄວາມມັກ ແລະ ຄວາມເໝາະສົມໃນແຕ່ລະກໍລະນີ.
ຢູ່ເມືອງໄຊພູທອງ, ແຂວງສະຫວັນນະເຂດ, ກິດຈະກຳການສ້າງລາຍຮັບແມ່ນ ດຳ ເນີນໂດຍ ທີມງານສະມາຄົມເພື່ອການສະໜັບສະໜູນ ແລະ ປັບປຸງຊົນນະບົດ (ARMI) ໂດຍຮ່ວມກັບ ອຳ ນາດ ການປົກຄອງທ້ອງຖິ່ນ ຈາກຫ້ອງການ ແຮງງານ ແລະ ສະຫວັດດີການສັງຄົມເມືອງ, ຫ້ອງການ ກະສິກຳ ແລະ ປ່າໄມ້ເມືອງ, ອຳນາດການປົກຄອງຂັ້ນບ້ານ ແລະ ອາສາສະໝັກສະຕະວັດແພດບ້ານ ໃນ 16 ບ້ານ. ເພື່ອຊ່ວຍໃຫ້ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດເຂົ້າໃຈກິດຈະກໍາ, ສາມາດສ້າງແບບແຜນທຸລະກິດໄດ້, ຄວາມາສາມາດໃນການຈັດຊື້ ແລະ ສະໜັບສະໜູນເຂົາເຈົ້າຢ່າງຕໍ່ເນື່ອງຈົນ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດສາມາດສ້າງລາຍຮັບໃຫ້ແກ່ຕົນເອງໄດ້. ທີ່ເມືອງໄຊພູທອງ, ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດ 65 ຄົນ ແມ່ນ ໄດ້ຮັບແບ້ໄປແລ້ວ ຈໍານວນ 169 ໂຕ.
ສໍາລັບພື້ນທີ່ເປົ້າໝາຍອື່ນ ຂອງໂຄງການ ໂອກາດ ແມ່ນຢູ່ເມືອງ ຄຳ, ແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງ ເຊິ່ງກິດຈະກໍາດໍາເນີນ ໂດຍ ທີມງານ ການພັດທະນາແບບມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມຂັ້ນຊຸມຊົນ (CBID) ຂອງ ສະມາຄົມ ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຟື້ນຟູຄຸນນະພາບຊີວິດ (QLA) ໂດຍ ນຳໃຊ້ວິທີການປະຕິບັດງານແບບດຽວກັນເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນວ່າ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນປະໂຫຍດມີລາຍໄດ້ທີ່ຍືນຍົງ ແລະ ປະກອບສ່ວນພັດທະນາຊຸມຊົນຂອງພວກເຂົາຕໍ່ໄປ. ນອກຈາກນີ້ແລ້ວ, ເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນວ່າບໍ່ມີໃຜໄດ້ຮັບບາດເຈັບ ຫຼື ເສຍຊີວິດຈາກລະເບີດບໍ່ທັນແຕກ. ແຕ່ວັນທີ 31 ພຶດສະພາ ເຖິງ ວັນທີ 4 ມິຖຸນາທີ່ເມືອງຄຳ, ແຂວງຊຽງຂວາງ, ໂຄງການເກັບກູ້ລະເບີດແຫ່ງຊາດ ຄກລ (UXO Lao) ໄດ້ລົງສໍາລວດ ແລະ ກວດກູ້ ເນື້ອທີ່ດິນຂອງ 14 ຄອບຄົວໃນເຂດທີ່ມີຄວາມສ່ຽງສູງ ຕໍ່ກັບລະເບີດບໍ່ທັນແຕກ. ເຊິ່ງພວກເຂົາກໍ່ຈະມີຄວາມສະບາຍໃຈໃນການປະຕິບັດກິດຈະກໍາການສ້າງລາຍຮັບໂດຍບໍ່ຕ້ອງກັງວົນກັບລະເບີດທີ່ບໍ່ທັນແຕກ.
ໂຄງການ USAID ໂອກາດ ໃຫ້ການສະໜັບສະໜູນທຶນໂດຍ ອົງການພັດທະນາສາກົນ ປະເທດ ສະຫະລັດ ອາເມລິກາ USAID ແລະ ຈັດຕັ້ງປະຕິບັດໂດຍ ອົງການ ເວີລດ໌ເອດຢູເຄຊັນ, ອົງການມະນຸດສະທໍາ ແລະ ການມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມ ເພື່ອເສີມຂະຫຍາຍການເຂົ້າ ເຖິງການຮັກສາສຸຂະພາບ ແລະ ໂອກາດທາງດ້ານເສດຖະກິດ ສຳລັບຄົນທີ່ມີຄວາມພິການ, ພ້ອມທັງສະ ໜັບສະໜູນການມີສ່ວນຮ່ວມ ໃນການອອກແບບນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ປະຕິບັດວຽກງານໃນການພັດທະນາ ມີແບບສ່ວນຮ່ວມ.
VIENTIANE, LAO PDR — With funding support from USAID, World Education and Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) signed a grant agreement on June 28, 2021. This grant will run from April 2021 until July 2022 and provide approximately $500,000 USD over its lifetime. Per the agreement, COPE will assist the Center of Medical Rehabilitation (CMR) and the Ministry of Health in providing affordable high-quality prosthetic and orthotic devices, which benefits their efforts to address the specific needs of children with cerebral palsy and other persons with mobility impairments countrywide.
The grant was signed by World Education Country Director, Sarah Bruinooge and COPE Program Manager, Metta Thippawong and witnessed by U.S. Ambassador to Lao PDR Dr. Peter M. Haymond, USAID Country Representative to Lao PDR Michael Ronning, Director General of Department of Policy for Devotee, Head of National Committee for the Disabled and Elderly, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Sisavath Komhphonh, Acting Chief of Cabinet Office, Ministry of Health, PhD Dr. Chanthanome Manithip.
“The United States is proud to continue to support Lao PDR as it works to improve the well-being of the Lao people, including persons with disabilities,” said Ambassador Haymond. “This year, the United States and Lao PDR are celebrating the 5th anniversary of the US-Lao Comprehensive Partnership, and this new agreement with COPE reaffirms our commitment to that support.”
This grant, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, will enable COPE and CMR to increase services and support for persons with disabilities, and address the rehabilitation needs of a growing number of people in the Lao PDR that experience mobility difficulties due to diseases, UXO incidents, or other accidents. This agreement will also enable COPE to further develop the rehabilitation knowledge and skills of CMR staff, for example to treat babies born with clubfoot and to better address the needs of children who have cerebral palsy.
The United States works in close partnership with the Lao government and Lao people citizens on a range of programs to improve health outcomes in Lao PDR. These include long-term initiatives to improve nutrition through school feeding, programs to address maternal and child health, efforts to address and prevent infectious diseases, and initiatives to better the lives of persons with disabilities.
Lao PDR celebrates International Children’s Day on the 1st of June each year by recognizing the need to protect children’s rights in order to ensure they grow into happy, healthy adults. But, did you know, around the world there are approximately 93 million children with disabilities and are one of the most marginalized and excluded groups. In their daily life many barriers exist including experiencing negative attitudes and discrimination, being less likely to attend school, access general healthcare, rehabilitation and assistive products, or have their voices heard in society.
In Lao PDR, the USAID Okard project has a vision to build communities where children with disabilities can grow up healthy, access rehabilitation and assistive products to optimize function, go to school to learn, play and socialize with other children, and reach their full potential. The Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) Demonstration Model implements activities that remove barriers in society and supports children with disabilities and their families to increase their participation in their communities.
To commemorate this significant day, read some of the children’s stories that we share throughout the week to learn about their experiences and the work USAID Okard does.
#World Children’s day
10 year old Khamkeo is a ray of sunshine for her family. She has a great sense of humour and she loves to sing and dance to upbeat songs. Khamkeo was born with a health condition called Down’s syndrome that causes her to have some difficulties in learning new tasks, remembering things. Khamkeo has difficulty taking care of herself, with sanitation and hygiene being particularly challenging and requiring support from her parents. Her parents help her a lot but some challenges exist. The USAID Okard CBID team worked together with local authorities from District Labour and Social Welfare and Health offices to support Khamkeo’s needs related to learning, providing her with toys, puzzles, and flashcards. Her parents have been taught how to regularly use them to stimulate her learning and development. By doing this, Khamkeo will be able to learn new tasks and start to look after herself so she can be more independent in the future.
#World Children’s day
12 years old May is a cheerful girl who loves to read and practice her Lao alphabet writing skill.
May has grown up having difficulty moving her body as she was born with a health condition called Cerebral Palsy. The USAID Okard CBID team has supported May to access the Provincial Rehabilitation Center (PRC) where a physiotherapist assessed her difficulties in moving and devised a rehabilitation plan to improve function. May was provided a wheelchair to help her move around and provided a home based exercise program to help her walk better. The community facilitator worked with May’s family to identify physical barriers within the home environment and solutions to increase her independence. Two parallel handrails have been fitted to help her walk and access the bathroom so she can use the latrine and shower. Over several months, May has shown significant improvement and is now able to walk for longer distances with support. With her improved mobility and wheelchair, she can spend more time outside playing and having fun with her friends.
USAID Okard, funded by USAID and implemented by World Education, Inc., improves access to quality healthcare and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities, while also engaging them in policy design and implementation.
