U.S. Military Builds Hospitals in Rural Laos

Feb., 07, 2013

U.S. Ambassador Karen Stewart with the Vice-Governor of Houaphanh Province, HE Mr. Vanhxay Phengxoumma at the handover ceremony for a new District Hospital in Phaxay District

The United States Embassy and United States Pacific Command formally presented four new District Hospitals to the following four districts: Phoukout and Phaxay Districts, Xiengkhuang Province and Et and Sopbao Districts, Houaphanh Province. The handover ceremonies were held on January 28 in Xiengkhuang Province and on 30 January in Houaphan Province. These new facilities will greatly enhance both Provincial Public Health Department’s ability to provide health services to the people of their respective Provinces. 

The ceremonies in Houaphan were attended by the Vice-Governor of Houaphanh Province, HE Mr. Vanhxay Phengxoumma; Mr. Souphanh Hadaoheuang, Deputy Director General of Europe-Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Phisith Phoutsavath, Deputy Director General of the Health Care Department, Ministry of Public Health; as well as other officials from Houaphanh Province and Et and Sopbao Districts. 

The ceremonies in Xiengkhuang were attended by the Vice-Governor of Xiengkhuang Province, HE BG Dr. Seumsouk Sinhthavong; Mr. Bountone Chanthaphone, Chairman of the National Assembly for Xienkhouang Province; Mr. Souphanh Hadaoheuang, Deputy Director General of Europe-Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Phisith Phoutsavath, Deputy Director General of the Health Care Department, Ministry of Public Health; as well as other officials from Xiengkhuang Province, and Phoukout and Phaxay Districts.

Representing the U.S. Embassy for all of the events were HE Ms. Karen Stewart, U.S Ambassador to Laos; Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Kent, Defense Attaché; and several other members of the US Embassy staff.  

In addition to the handing-over ceremonies for the new medical facilities, the US Embassy and officials from Houaphanh Province and Viangxai District conducted a ground breaking ceremony for a new Primary School in Phonbeng Village, Viangxai District, Houaphanh Province. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on 31 January, 2013.

The U.S. Embassy, in coordination with U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), has provided humanitarian assistance projects in rural areas of Laos for over fifteen years as part of the joint recovery effort to search for remains of Americans missing from the Indochina War. These projects have included primary schools, medical clinics, irrigation systems and clean water supply systems. They are part of the continuing cooperation and partnership between U.S. Pacific Command, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of National Defense to help strengthen the overall health and education systems in the Lao PDR and ultimately contribute to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals.