Well-child strategy introduced at immunization program’s mid-year review meeting

On 12^th - 14^th August 2020, the Mother and Child Health Center (MCHC), Ministry of Health  hosted a mid-year review meeting on immunization programme for the first six months of 2020. Vaccine coverage from January to June 2020 dropped in comparison to the same period of 2019. 

The meeting was opened and chaired by Vice Minsiter Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phouthone Muongpak and the Director General of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Dr. Phonepaseuth Ounaphom.

“Routine immunization is a life-saving, essential health service that must be maintained, even during the COVID-19 response.  We will need to achieve >95% coverage by the end of 2020 in order to avoid vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks like measles. We don’t want to complicate the current COVID-19 response by another outbreak” stated Dr. Panome Sayamoungkhoun, Acting Director of the Mother and Child Health Center.

Dr. Panome further introduced a new approach to integrated well-child services as part of the updated Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Strategy.  

This new strategy is built  on the principle of ‘people-centred care’ through common delivery platforms.   Evidence shows that health systems centered around the needs of people and communities are more effective, cost less, improve patient engagement, and are better prepared to respond to health crises, such as COVID-19.

The well child delivery platform combines immunization, nutrition (including breastfeeding), and child growth and development monitoring to ensure that all children in Lao PDR have a healthy start to life. 

“We will not miss a single opportunity to provide any services to children,” – said Dr. Panome.

The meeting continued with fruitful discussions and ended with a role play to demonstrate how the well-child integrated service can be provided.

The role play was started with a service provider (Dr. Phimmasone Sirimanotham, Mahosot Hospital) met with a caregiver and her baby (Dr. Vasana Phonsena, Setthathirath Hospital) in a health care facility. The role play showed the participants how to discuss and provide counselling on well-child essential services such as nutrition, immunization, and child development.  The session was monitored by a supervisor (Dr. Phonemany Phonedy, Huaphan Province).

The role play was supported by WHO Team Lead for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization, Lauren Franzel, and her team on preparation and execution.  WHO country office will continue to support MoH on the roll-out and implementation of the RMNCAH Strategy.