I. Geography and General information of Lao PDR
1. Location :
Lao is location in Southeastern Asia, which is bordered by many countries as Burma, Cambodia, China north east of Thailand, west of Vietnam,
Lao is a land locking country that cover 236.800 sq Km. The population is about 6.363.481and all most of people working as farmer.
2. Ethnic groups :
Lao Loum (lowland), Lao Theng (upland), Lao Soung (highland), including the Hmong and the Yao , ethnic Vietnamese / Chinese
3. Religions :
Buddidhist, animist and other (including Christian denominations)
4. Languages :
Lao (official), French, English, and ethnic group languages
5. Economy
Laos is a land locking country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is glutinous rice. In non drought years, Laos is self sufficient over all in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sourest, Japan is currently the largest bilateral al aid donor, aid from the USSR / Eastern
Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil will hamper efforts to regain a high rate of GDP growth.
6. Communications
Service to general public is poor but improving, the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
7. Transportation
Airports with paved runways
Airports with unpaved runways
II. The Activities moment of Decade of P W Ds in Lao PDR
The movement of disabled persons, there are only design codes and guidelines for general construction and maintenance work. As such, disabled persons cannot easily access public buildings, state buildings, hospitals, schools and roads which are deemed difficult and dangerous for persons in wheelchairs or using crutches.
The Government of the Lao people’s Democratic republic has set up a national committee for Disabled persons headed by the Minister of the Ministry of Labor and social welfare. Committee Board members include the vice Ministers of the Ministry of Health, Education and Foreign Affair, as well as staff from related ministries.
All government ministries and concerned organizations have implemented these measures according to their respective authority and responsibility. They also coordinate and work with each other to implement the measures.
The government of Lao PDR has cooperated with international organizations and NGOs to handle activities to prevent the causes of disability by :
- a national immunization program
- a mother and child health care and protection program
- treatment of eye diseases
- a demining program
- Community based rehabilitation (CBR) and primary health care (PHC) program.
Besides, the programs to prevent traffic accidents issues related to narcotics and alcohol abuse have also addressed.
III. The policy of prevention of disabilities.
The National committee pursues measures similar to the Government % acute;s policy for the country % acute;s disabled persons, including the prevention, of the causes of docility, free medical care and medical rehabilitation, as well as free professional, social and educational rehabilitation services.
1) There are many vaccination projects.
The MOH handles the following duties to prevent disabilities
- Carry out an ammunition program for children
- Provide basic health and sanitation
- Provide a water supply and potable water
- Carry out an environmental health protection campaign
- Prevent and combat malaria
- Prevent and provide tuberculosis treatment
- Check and provide dermatology and venerology treatment
- Provide treatment for car / eye / nasal / oral cavity
- Provide mother and child care
- Arrange for HIV prevention
- The promotion of protecting accident on the road “Road Safety project”
2) UXO program.
To date, there are two surveys available in Lao regarding persons with disabilities ; one by
The Ministry of Health and Prosthetic and Orthotic worldwide Education and relif (POWER) investigating the number of PWDs in 1996,
the Ministry of Labor and social welfare and Handicap International surveying the social and economic impact of UXO in Laos in 1997. However, the data regarding persons with disabilities was unsatisfactory.
The survey by the Ministry of health and Prosthetic and Orthotic worldwide Education and Relief (POWER) was carried out nationwide, approaching almost every town and village in the country. The objective of this survey was to determine the exiting number of amputees (am or leg) , due to accident detonation of mines / unexploded ordnance as well as other accidents, diseases / infections of the bones, cancer, leprosy, or just poverty that was unrelated to UXO or mines.
The survey by the Ministry of Labor and social welfare and handicap International was the first national survey on the social Economic Impact of UXO on Lao PDR. According to the survey, there were 5.495 deceased victims; the majority of them, 4.632 cases (84%) died immediately, (11%) while being transported and 269 cases (5%) while hospitalized. The majority of those who escaped death are now living as disabled persons and are a burden for their families.
