Turkish doctors conducted a field assessment in Laos as part of the Laos Maternal, Child, and Newborn Health Program, an initiative launched by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

Although Laos—classified as a Least Developed Country—has made significant progress over the last decade in reducing neonatal, infant (0–1 year), and under-five mortality rates (which constitute major obstacles to development), current child mortality rates in the country remain above the global average and rank among the highest in Southeast Asia.

TİKA launched the Laos Maternal, Child, and Newborn Health Program in 2026 in collaboration with the Turkish Neonatology Society, the Lao Ministry of Health, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to share Turkey’s successful experience in reducing child mortality and to develop joint solutions with Laos.

During this second phase of the program—which follows the first phae which took place in February 2026—a delegation of doctors comprising Prof. Dr. Ömer Erdeve (Ankara University Faculty of Medicine), Prof. Dr. Özge Altun (Ege University Faculty of Medicine), and Prof. Dr. İstemi Han Çelik (Ankara Etlik City Health Practice and Research Center) visited Bolikhxamsai Provincial Hospital and Khamouane Provincial Hospital to assess the current capacities and needs of their neonatal units. Additionally, the delegation met with the Lao Ministry of Health and UNFPA to work on a roadmap for enhancing the capacity of the Lao healthcare system—specifically regarding neonatal care—at provincial hospitals outside the capital, Vientiane.

In the first phase of the program, held in February and hosted by Mahosot Hospital in the capital, Vientiane, the aim was to enhance the clinical capacity of healthcare personnel; additionally, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Saravan Provincial Hospital was renovated.