With the COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern contributing to surges in neighbouring countries, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is working with the media to share timely and accurate information to help keep the community safe and protect the health system.
On 1 March 2022, the Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU), conducted a briefing in Vientiane Capital to provide journalists with the latest updates on COVID-19 in the country and information about a potential surge of Omicron cases. Thirty local journalists participated in person, while more than 50 other participants joined online from the provinces.
Countries sharing a border with Lao PDR – Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam – are all reporting a surge in COVID-19 cases, driven by the Omicron variant.
The briefing aimed to help Lao PDR media provide the public with clear, understandable information, as well as promote behaviour that allows people to protect their health, their loved ones and the health system. By disseminating accurate and timely information, the media can also minimize rumours and misinformation, helping reduce public anxiety and fears about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
The Director of the Ministry of Health’s Center of Communication and Education for Health, Mr Visith Khamleusa, and the Director of the National Center of Laboratory and Epidemiology, Dr Phonepadith Sangxayarath, chaired the briefing. Other speakers were from the Department of Communicable Disease Control, the Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation, the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, and the Mother and Child Health Center.
More than 50 online participants from provincial health promotion teams, and TV, radio and print media joined the briefing. ©WHO/Vannaseng Insal
Among the topics discussed were variants of concern, vaccination, treatment and care and waste management.©WHO/Vannaseng Insal
Dr Viengsakhone Luangpadith, Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation, answers a local journalist's question. ©WHO/Vannaseng Insal
Also at the briefing, the Department of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC) urged journalists to emphasize public health and social measures, including individual measures such as wearing a well-fitted mask; keeping physical distance, avoiding crowds and close contact; ventilation of indoor spaces; covering coughs and sneezes; cleaning hands frequently; and, if people that are not from a high-risk group develop symptoms or test positive, they must report to the health authorities and isolate until they recover. These measures have been carefully calibrated based on different risk factors. DCDC also asked reporters to encourage people to be vaccinated.
Under the support of EU’s South East Asia Health Pandemic Response and Preparedness project, technical media briefings have been one of the activities used by the Communication and Education for Health Centre to supplement the daily National COVID-19 Task Force press conferences. Together, these activities help ensure the media can have access to technical staff to manage the so-called infodemic (a flood of information of all kinds), identify misinformation and disinformation, and share accurate information that can protect the community and saves lives.
WHO Representative to Lao People's Democratic Republic Dr Ying-Ru Lo said: “The Lao PDR media have played a key role so far in the pandemic. We continue to need their support in helping to guide behaviours to limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health system.”
This work is part of WHO’s Communication for Health (C4H) approach, which recognizes the power of communication as a tool for contributing to better health outcomes. Recognizing the importance of working with the media, WHO has published COVID-19: an informative guide: advice for journalists.
Other preparedness actions being taken by the Lao PDR Government, with the support of donors and partners including the EU, include continuing to detect COVID-19 cases rapidly, strengthening emergency operation centres at the central and provincial level, preparing quarantine and isolation facilities, increasing health care worker capacity for infection prevention and control, and improving water, sanitation and hygiene, and waste management.