Lao PDR

PIVI's WORK WITH Lao PDR

The first country to receive PIVI support, Laos is a vaccination success story. Since PIVI was formally launched in 2012 with a donation of 350,000 influenza vaccines, Laos has done the important and critical work of creating a sustainable country-wide influenza program. 

Country-led research was key to setting up the evidence for  building a national  influenza program. Vaccine safety is one of the key factors that drives acceptance of vaccines and when influenza vaccine was introduced in 2012, Laos studied and published AEFI findings from its first influenza vaccination campaign. To drive vaccination in important target groups, Laos studied a cohort of about 5,000 pregnant women from 2014-2015  and found influenza vaccination was associated with a lower risk of preterm birth. Understanding these benefits of influenza vaccination has not only helped convince stakeholders to support influenza efforts but also has motivated patients to become vaccinated.

An abundance of locally generated data was useful for the new Lao NITAG to determine influenza vaccination policy. The NITAG in Laos was formed during its partnership with PIVI. Laos has now integrated flu immunization into their nationally funded vaccine program through the Ministry of Health.

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Population of Lao PDR
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Vaccines Delivered

Targeted Groups

  • Adults with Chronic Conditions
  • Children over 5
  • Elderly
  • Healthcare workers
  • Pregnant Women

Partners

  • Lao Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP)
  • Lao Ministry of Health
  • Mother and Child Health Center
  • National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE)
  • World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office

A TIMELINE OF OUR Partnership

2012

PIVI partnership begins

2015

NITAG holds 1st official meeting

2016

Presentation at WHO Bangkok flu meeting

2020

Conduct iPIE to determine cost of influenza program

2021

Publishes vaccine cost-effectiveness study in target groups