Vang Vieng, Lao PDR, 1 July 2026 — Fourteen representatives from the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR, Mekong Institute (MI), Fuwai Hospital (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), participating hospitals, and implementing partners convened for the first Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Meeting of the Mekong Children’s Heart Care (MCHC) Project, marking the project’s first formal review since its launch in 2025.
The meeting reviewed implementation progress, assessed key challenges, and endorsed a work plan for the next phase of the project. The agreed priorities focus on expanding access to pediatric cardiac care, improving referral and follow-up systems, and advancing long-term health system capacity in Lao PDR.
To date, more than 8,200 children have been screened across two of the project’s four target provinces in Lao PDR, keeping the project on track to achieve its target of screening at least 10,000 children across all four target provinces by the end of 2026.
The endorsed work plan prioritizes completing screening activities in the remaining target provinces, expanding outreach to remote and underserved communities, increasing community awareness to improve parental consent and treatment uptake, and enhancing the clinical capacity of Lao healthcare professionals through continued mentorship, technical exchanges, and knowledge sharing with Fuwai Hospital. Together, these efforts will help build a more resilient and sustainable pediatric cardiac care system in Lao PDR.
Dr. Daodouangchan Oudommavong, Deputy Director of Cabinet, Ministry of Health of Lao PDR, said:
“The first Monitoring and Evaluation Meeting provides an important opportunity to review progress, identify practical solutions to implementation challenges, and strengthen our collective efforts to improve children’s health. Through this partnership, we are expanding access to early screening and treatment while enhancing the expertise of Lao healthcare professionals to deliver specialized pediatric cardiac care in Lao PDR.”
Ms. Guohua Liu, Director of the Sectoral Development and Integration Department at MI and Project Director of the MCHC Project, said:
“The progress achieved over the past year reflects the strong commitment of all partners. The priorities agreed during this meeting provide a clear roadmap for implementation, enabling us to reach more children and laying the foundation for sustainable, high-quality pediatric cardiac care in Lao PDR.”
Participants also identified areas requiring continued attention, particularly the relatively low rate of parental consent for follow-up diagnosis and treatment. To address this challenge, partners agreed to strengthen communication with families, improve coordination among implementing agencies to increase referral and treatment uptake, reinforce project monitoring, and identify additional eligible children through existing healthcare networks to maximize access to life-saving care.
The meeting concluded with partners reaffirming their commitment to implementing the agreed work plan, deepening collaboration, and delivering measurable health outcomes for children and families across Lao PDR.
Supported by the Government of China through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the Mekong Children’s Heart Care Project advances sustainable health development through South–South cooperation. The initiative contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
