New "Mother and Child Monitoring Book” vaccination education resources launched to support unreached groups

In a significant boost to routine immunization the Lao PDR Ministry of Health has launched a suite of new “Pink Book” vaccination education tools to support routine vaccination with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the Australian Government, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. These resources, designed particularly to assist low-literacy populations and diverse ethnic groups, were unveiled following World Immunization Week, reinforcing the nation's commitment to protecting its citizens from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Based on the highly popular, trusted and recognizable Mother and Child Monitoring Book (“Pink Book”) provided to every family in Lao PDR, and led by the Ministry of Health’s National Immunization Programme (NIP) and Center for Health Statistics and Information (CHSI), the resources include a series of animated videos and infographic-style flip cards. Topics include “How Vaccines Work”, “What Happens After Your Child Gets Vaccinated”, as well as eight key vaccine-preventable diseases: measles, polio, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, HPV and COVID-19.

The materials are available in Lao, Khmu dialects, Hmong, Akha and English ensuring broad accessibility, and are currently being translated by provincial and district health teams into additional languages and dialects – with the ability for local healthcare workers to do the same with other minority languages as necessary.

Dr Viengkhan Phixay, Deputy Director General of Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, emphasized the importance of these resources for frontline workers. "Healthcare workers often face challenges in explaining vaccine science and safety, particularly to those with low literacy, or those facing language barriers. These new materials provide clear, visual aids, and easy-to-understand messages linked to the highly-trusted Pink Book, that will greatly assist healthcare workers and naibans in their health promotion work for many years to come."

The development of these materials stems from research during previous vaccination campaigns and activities, which identified a need for stronger “routine” tools for healthcare workers and naibans (community leaders) to educate the public during day-to-day outreach, as well as nationwide campaigns and responses to outbreaks.

“The launch of innovative ‘Pink Book’ vaccination education tools will make a meaningful difference in protecting children in Lao PDR from preventable diseases,” said Nadia Lasri, Senior Country Manager and Coordinator of Gavi support in Lao PDR. “By providing accessible and clear information to diverse populations, we are helping to ensure that every community in Lao PDR has the knowledge they need to understand the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. The ‘Pink Book’ also allows mothers to follow the vaccination schedule for each child, ensuring timely and complete immunisation.”

"These new materials are crucial for ensuring that all communities in Lao PDR, especially those who are often ‘unreached’, have access to clear and understandable information about vaccines," said Dr Timothy Armstrong, WHO Representative to Lao PDR. "By empowering healthcare workers and community leaders with these tools, we are strengthening our collective ability to protect the health of every individual."

“For decades the ‘Pink Book’ has been a trusted companion for Lao parents. By turning its guidance into engaging videos and visual flashcards, we are placing life-saving information directly in the palms of caregivers and health workers—from the clinics of Vientiane to the most remote mountain villages,” said Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani, UNICEF Country Representative to Lao PDR.

To ensure cultural appropriateness and effectiveness, the Ministry of Health’s Centre for Health Statistics and Information tested products with a range of diverse communities in Vientiane Capital, Xaysomboun, Phongsaly, and Saravanh Provinces, producing overwhelmingly positive results.

In Lao PDR, the “Pink Book” goes beyond record-keeping—it integrates key social and behaviour change principles by acting as a consistent, visual reminder for parents and caregivers to complete their child’s vaccination schedule.

The new resources include:

• Animated videos in multiple languages, specifically designed for use on mobile phones by healthcare workers in the community.
• Printable and digital infographic-style flashcards.
  

While primarily designed to be used at the community level, they are available on the Ministry of Health’s Centre for Health Statistics and Information Facebook page, and National Immunization Programme YouTube channel for healthcare workers and others to access.

Centre for Health Statistics and Information Facebook page: https://shorturl.at/SR9tZ  

EPI Lao PDR YouTube: https://shorturl.at/SqWea