Japan Supports the Oral Health Service Programme in the Lao PDR

Vientiane, 13 February 2019 – The Government of Japan provided grant assistance, worth USD 320,997, for an oral health service programme in Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, Bolikhamxay Province, Khammouan Province, and Savannakhet Province. The signing ceremony for the project’s grant contract was held at the Japanese Embassy, on 13 February 2019, between H.E. Mr. Takeshi HIKIHARA, Ambassador of Japan to the Lao PDR, and Prof. Mr. Takashi MIYATA, President of the Organization of International Support for Dental Education (OISDE), a Japanese non-profit organization. The signing ceremony was witnessed by H.E. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phouthone MUONGPAK, Vice Minister of Health, as well as representatives from line ministries and related organizations. The grant extended at this time will fund activities in the first year of the three year project.

The project, entitled “Establishment of educational base in dental health promotion and to build the preventive systems”, aims to establish oral and dental health services and help decrease the number of cases of infectious diseases, as well as dental and oral diseases in the Lao PDR. OISDE will establish a base with integrated dental and oral health education, in Vientiane Capital, and educate nurses from across the country. They will also provide transportation, and conduct practical training on general nursing in four provinces (Vientiane, Bolikhamxay, Khammouan and Savannakhet Provinces). Furthermore, it is hoped that the project will be successful in transferring the skills and knowledge of the dental oral health prevention programme, to nurses in the four target provinces.

The Lao PDR is the only country in South East Asia that does not have a system of dental nurses. Thus, it lacks human resources to promote dental and oral health activities in the Lao PDR. OISDE has been engaged with oral health service programmes in the Lao PDR, since 2002. They had implemented the technical cooperation project on oral and dental health in Vientiane Province, Khammouan and Savannakhet Provinces from 2012 to 2018.