Health sector prepares for AEC

Health sector prepares for AEC

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised doctors, nurses and health personnel from the Ministry of Health to take appropriate measures to prepare for the coming Asean Economic Community (AEC) integration next year.

Speaking recently on the 17th anniversary of Laos' entry into Asean and the 47th anniversary of Asean Foundation Day, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Alounkeo Kittikoun said that health reforms were important in preparing to integrate into the AEC.

Mr Alounkeo said, “However, we should consider which sectors should be preserved for the local people and which should be open to competition from the AEC.”

He advised the Ministry of Health on the sectors which needed to be urgently looked at. These included: human resource development, health finance, health management, work methodology administration, health services, as well as the health information and data system sectors

These sectors are crucial in ensuring the ministry will achieve their Millennium Development Goals by next year.

During the one-day meeting, more than 200 participants acknowledged the vision, strategy, opportunities and challenges of Laos on the Asean stage.

Participants were also given the opportunity to ask Mr Alounkeo certain questions that they wanted clarification in.

One participant from the Centre of Information and Education for Health said this was the first time he acknowledged and clearly understood the information on the AEC.

“The workshop was helpful for me as it helped me to prepare for the upcoming AEC integration and the competition that comes with it,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Health Dr Inlavanh Keobounphanh also attended the workshop.

vientiane times