ADB, Lao PDR sign agreement to support health sector program

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) signed an agreement today for a $30 million policy-based grant for the second subprogram of the Health Sector Governance Program to help expand health care coverage and improve health services in the country.

The agreement was signed by ADB Country Director for the Lao PDR Mr. Yasushi Negishi and Deputy Minister of Finance Ms. Thipphakone Chanthavongsa. Senior officials from the Ministry of Health and other line ministries also witnessed the signing ceremony in Vientiane.

“This program is an important platform for a joint effort between the Government of the Lao PDR and ADB to overcome the country’s health development challenges, particularly, to assure people’s access to healthcare with affordable and more predictable costs and improved service quality,” said Mr. Negishi.

The $30 million grant follows the success of the project’s first subprogram of a $23 million loan approved in 2015, also financed by ADB, to support the implementation of the government’s Health Sector Reform Strategy (2013-2025). The second subprogram will continue supporting the government’s efforts in four priority areas of health sector reform, including assisting the reform process; enhancing the implementation of free health care for the poor, especially women and children through national health insurance; improving health human resource management; and improving the health sector’s financial management system.

Original source: ADB
Published on 22 May 2018