Strengthening Pediatric Care in Laos

In 2016, the Global Health Program (GHP) created a formal partnership with the Laos Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), in Luang Prabang, Laos, the country's only pediatric hospital outside of the capital city of Vientiane. For four years, the GHP provided LFHC with physicians, nurses and physician assistants to assist in training and mentorship of the Lao clinicians in the care and management of sick or injured children. In 2016 and 2017, Disty Pearson PA providing general training and education in specialized congenital heart disease identification and care, as delayed diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease can have severe sequelae.

In 2018, hospital leadership identified the need for additional nurse training in pediatric emergency care. Former Maggie Ryan Fellow, Lexie Schmid, DNP, MPH, MSN, RN was invited by LFHC to work with Lao nurse leaders so they, in turn, can train others. Lexie addressed the basics of emergency care for both trauma and general medical conditions and provided additional trainings on neonatal resuscitation, effective triage strategies for a busy waiting room, and pediatric trauma fundamentals.In addition to training of local Lao physicians and nurses, LFHC established a dedicated clinic to improve care for children with thalassemia, a disease that causes severe anemia and has a high child mortality rate in the region. Upon opening, the clinic became the only facility providing ongoing lifesaving treatment for thalassemia. Dr. Neeru Narla was on hand in 2019 to work with Lao colleagues to identify and implement improvements for managing the increased disease burden in adolescence, managing the transition from pediatric to adult care for adolescent patients, and patient retention and compliance.