Vientiane Capital, September 30, 2026 - The Ministry of Health and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted a digital health seminar themed "Telehealth" to understand the overall landscape, learn from international experiences, and define future directions for Lao PDR.

The event was co-chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bounserth Keoprasith, Vice Minister of Health, and Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, Resident Representative, UNDP Lao PDR and attended by a total of 96 participants representing relevant ministry departments, the National University of Laos, and development partners.

During the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bounserth Keoprasith, Vice Minister of Health, stated: "Telehealth services are a crucial solution and an innovative breakthrough that will help address healthcare service challenges. It will enable people in rural areas to access medical services efficiently, equitably, and justly."

Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, Resident Representative, UNDP Lao PDR, remarked: "Leveraging digital innovation to bring technical expertise and services closer to remote communities can bridge the access gap and improve health outcomes for those who need it most."

Through presentations, panel discussions, and group brainstorms, the seminar concluded with the following key outcomes:

1. All participating sectors including government, private entities, and development partners established a shared understanding of the concepts, components, and potential of Telehealth services to serve as a foundation for future development in Lao PDR.
2. Participants learned and extracted lessons from the experiences and best practices of India, Vietnam, and Singapore to adapt and apply them appropriately to the context and situation of Lao PDR.
3. A joint direction for the future was established, focusing on drafting preliminary Policy Guidelines, identifying pilot regions and Pilot Sites, and exploring funding sources to drive concrete, high-quality, safe, and sustainable Telehealth implementation.

The discussions generated insights and recommendations that will help inform the next steps for telehealth in Lao PDR, including further consideration of the policy, governance, financing, infrastructure, workforce, and accessibility requirements needed for sustainable implementation.

Moving forward, with the support from UNDP India, UNDP Lao PDR together with the Ministry of Health will continue to explore how telehealth can complement existing health services and contribute to a more accessible, inclusive, and resilient health system. Continued collaboration among government, development partners, healthcare providers, the private sector, and communities will be important to ensure that future digital health solutions are responsive to the needs of people across the country.