0A4F4F9BD490A749D5437F821CF06DF1
Law on Health Care
https://leaux.net/URLS/General/61._Law_on_Health_Care_2005_Eng.pdf
http://leaux.net/URLS/ConvertAPI Text Files/63E0943A0A2A39CA6CE2B093000ED04B.en.txt
Examining the file media/Synopses/63E0943A0A2A39CA6CE2B093000ED04B.html:
This file was generated: 2020-07-14 10:26:08
| Indicators in focus are typically shown highlighted in yellow; |
Peer Indicators (that share the same Vulnerability association) are shown highlighted in pink; |
"Outside" Indicators (those that do NOT share the same Vulnerability association) are shown highlighted in green; |
Trigger Words/Phrases are shown highlighted in gray. |
Link to Orphaned Trigger Words (Appendix (Indicator List, Indicator Peers, Trigger Words, Type/Vulnerability/Indicator Overlay)
Applicable Type / Vulnerability / Indicator Overlay for this Input
Political / Illegal Activity
Searching for indicator unlawful:
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p.000010: • Being patient, friendly, courteous and impartial towards patients and their relatives, regardless of
p.000010: their behaviour.
p.000010:
p.000010: Chapter 4 Prohibitions
p.000010:
p.000010: Article 36. Types of Prohibitions
p.000010:
p.000010: No health-care professional shall:
p.000010:
p.000010: • Provide health care with a primarily commercial objective;
p.000010: • Issue a medical certificate as an accomplice;
p.000010:
p.000010:
p.000010:
p.000010: 14 In the Lao text, the reference is to “ethics” rather than to the more common term “code of
p.000010: ethics”. The literal translation here is appropriate because there is no written code. “Ethics” is therefore used in
p.000010: the sense of a “set of principles”.
p.000010:
p.000010: 15 The translators are aware that this list setting out the “contents” or “main points” of ethical
p.000010: principals governing Lao health-care professionals is not framed in a parallel manner.
p.000010:
p.000010: 16 This offence (damaging the reputation of a deceased person) is described in Article 96 of the 2005
p.000010: Amended Penal Law and Article 89 of the 1989 Penal Law (translations of both these laws are available in this
p.000010: series).
p.000010:
p.000011: 11
p.000011:
p.000011: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000011:
p.000011: • Engage in trafficking in any product or organ from any part of the human body;
p.000011: • Provide care in prohibited establishments;
p.000011: • Provide unauthorised care;
p.000011: • Provide unlawful care.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 37. Prohibition Against Providing Health Care for Primarily Commercial Objectives
p.000011:
p.000011: No health-care professional shall provide care to patients with making profit as the primary commercial objective. No
p.000011: excessive advertisement may be used to attract patients. The layout of any advertisement displayed in their health-care
p.000011: establishments shall be non-commercial in character.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 38. Prohibition Against the Issuance of Medical Certificates as an Accomplice
p.000011:
p.000011: No health-care professional shall issue misleading reports, [or] medical certificates that are untrue and infringe the
p.000011: laws and regulations, in complicity with a patient or any other person.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 39. Prohibition Against Trafficking in any Product or Organ from Any Part of the Human Body
p.000011:
p.000011: No health-care professional shall encourage the trade of products or organs from the human body, such
p.000011: as: blood, organs, tissue, cells or other human bodily products, whether from a living or deceased patient,
p.000011: except as otherwise provided by the laws.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 40. Prohibited Health-care Establishments
p.000011:
p.000011: It shall be prohibited to provide consultations and treatment to patients in the following establishments:
p.000011:
p.000011: • Commercial premises such as shopping centres or markets;
p.000011: • Drug stores, [and] stores selling medical consumables, instruments and apparatus;
p.000011: • Any other premises specified by the laws or regulations.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 41. Prohibition Against the Provision of Unauthorised Care
p.000011:
p.000011: It shall be prohibited to provide any treatment or procedure that has not been authorised, or to use any treatment
p.000011: method that has not been authorised [or]17 cannot be inspected by the Ministry of Health.
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011: 17 The Lao word “and” is sometimes used in a disjunctive sense. Here, the original is “and” but the context
p.000011: makes it clear that the disjunctive “or” is intended.
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000012: 12
p.000012:
p.000012: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 42. Prohibition Against the Unlawful Provision of Care
p.000012:
p.000012: It shall be prohibited to encourage or promote unlawful care such as unauthorised abortions, [and] carrying
p.000012: out procedures that are dangerous to the health of patients.
p.000012:
p.000012: Chapter 5 Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 43. Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing is the systematic administration of income and expenditure, as provided for by the
p.000012: laws and regulations, in order to ensure that all citizens are in the position to have fair and equitable access
p.000012: to health care and to have a better state of health.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 44. Sources of Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing shall be derived from:
p.000012:
p.000012: 1. The State budget;
p.000012: 2. Direct payments by patients;
p.000012: 3. Social health insurance funds;
p.000012: 4. Social contributions;
p.000012: 5. Contributions from international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 45. Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Health insurance funds are one source of health-care financing that is divided into several types: community health
p.000012: insurance, civil-servants health insurance, enterprise health insurance, private health insurance and public
p.000012: welfare health insurance, which are administered by fund management committees or boards of management.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
...
Political / criminal
Searching for indicator criminal:
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p.000017: treatment at the request of individuals or institutions, in particular by the public prosecutor or the peoples' court.
p.000017:
p.000017: The Minister for Health shall designate a highly-experienced professional in the field of health
p.000017: care or forensic medicine to conduct tests using medical science.
p.000017:
p.000017: No health-care professional who has provided treatment to those patients shall be designated to carry out
p.000017: tests using medical science. In the event that such health-care professional is a family member, relative or
p.000017: close friend of the patient or is a member of any group of persons who have joint interests, he shall be also be
p.000017: prohibited from conducting tests using medical science.20
p.000017:
p.000017: 20 Presumably, the prohibitions in this paragraph extend only to tests where there is a conflict of
p.000017: interests. However, the text is not specific on this point.
p.000017:
p.000018: 18
p.000018:
p.000018: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018: Chapter 8
p.000018: Policies towards Persons who have Performed Well and Measures Against Violators21
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 62. Policies Toward Persons Who Have Performed Well
p.000018:
p.000018: Individuals or organisations which have outstanding performance in the implementation of this Law on Health Care
p.000018: will receive awards or other appropriate policies.
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 63. Measures Against Violators
p.000018:
p.000018: Individuals or organisations which violate this Law on Health Care shall be re-educated, fined or subject to
p.000018: civil liability or criminal punishment, as determined on a case by case basis.
p.000018:
p.000018: Chapter 9 Final Provisions
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 64. Implementation
p.000018:
p.000018: The government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is entrusted to implement this law.
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 65. Effectiveness
p.000018:
p.000018: This Law on Health Care shall enter into force after ninety days from the date of the promulgating decree issued by the
p.000018: President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
p.000018:
p.000018: All regulations and provisions that contravene this law are null and
p.000018: void.
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018: Vientiane, 9 November 2005 President of the National Assembly
p.000018:
p.000018: [Seal and Signature]
p.000018:
p.000018: Samane VIGNAKET
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018: 21 The term “policies” in the context of this Chapter takes the meaning of “privileges” and the term
p.000018: “measures” takes the meaning of “sanctions”.
p.000018:
p.000018:
...
Political / political affiliation
Searching for indicator party:
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p.000012:
p.000012: Article 45. Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Health insurance funds are one source of health-care financing that is divided into several types: community health
p.000012: insurance, civil-servants health insurance, enterprise health insurance, private health insurance and public
p.000012: welfare health insurance, which are administered by fund management committees or boards of management.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
p.000012: servants, employees and staff, including retirees,
p.000012:
p.000012:
p.000013: 13
p.000013:
p.000013: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000013:
p.000013: veterans, [and] the disabled and persons who are no longer able to work belonging to Party
p.000013: organisations, State organisations, the Lao Front for National Reconstruction, and mass organisations,
p.000013: and by government contributions.
p.000013:
p.000013: When members of this fund, including disabled persons belonging to the special category, their spouses and children not
p.000013: exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by the civil-servants
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 48. Enterprise Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Enterprise health insurance funds are financed by contributions from enterprise employees and employers.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds, including their spouses and children not exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their enterprise health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 49. Private Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Private health insurance funds are financed by contributions from individuals who are not members of
p.000013: any health insurance fund above, including entrepreneurs, merchants and self-employed professionals.
p.000013:
...
Political / stateless persons
Searching for indicator nation:
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p.000001: Article 1. The Law on Health Care is hereby promulgated.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 2. This decree shall enter into force on the day it is signed.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Vientiane, 9 December 2005 President of Lao People’s Democratic Republic
p.000001:
p.000001: [Seal and Signature]
p.000001:
p.000001: Khamtai SIPHANDON
p.000001:
p.000001: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
p.000001: PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: National Assembly No. 09/NA
p.000001: 9 November 2005
p.000001:
p.000001: LAW ON HEALTH CARE
p.000001: Chapter 1 General Provisions
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 1. Purpose
p.000001:
p.000001: The Law on Health Care determines the principles, regulations and different measures relating to the
p.000001: organisation, activities, management and control of health care activities, in order to ensure that all citizens,
p.000001: families and communities have access to equal, full, equitable and quality health care services, [and] to
p.000001: protect the rights and interests of health care professional workers, with the aim of increasingly developing
p.000001: modern health care services to enable all citizens to have good health and to be able to effectively
p.000001: contribute to the protection and development of the nation.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 2. Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: Health care is the service made available to patients by the conscious responsibility of health-care professionals
p.000001: through consultation, screening, diagnosis, prescription of drugs, application of medical
p.000001: procedures, convalescence and rehabilitation so as to cure patients and ensure that they enjoy a
p.000001: satisfactory state of health, including health promotion and preventive measures for the population.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 3. Interpretation of Terms
p.000001:
p.000001: The terms used in this law shall have the following meanings:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1. Good health means a state of complete physical, mental, intellectual and social well-being and not
p.000001: merely the absence of disease or disability. Good health is a valuable possession, as well as
p.000001: a fundamental and equitable right[;] it is the obligation of all citizens, as well as of their families and of
p.000001: the society as whole, and it is an essential condition for education, productive labour and happy lives;
p.000001: 2. Health-care professionals are practitioners who provide medical professional treatment under the
p.000001: conditions defined by this law.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1
p.000001:
p.000001: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000001:
p.000001: Health-care professionals practising modern medical treatment are: physicians, assistant physicians, dentists,
p.000001: assistant dentists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, laboratory and x-ray technicians,
...
Health / Drug Usage
Searching for indicator drug:
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p.000003: specifically refer to health-care providers.
p.000003:
p.000003: 7 The literal translation is “loss”.
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000004: 4
p.000004:
p.000004: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000004:
p.000004: refer the patient or his8 relatives to another health-care establishment that can offer more suitable
p.000004: treatment;
p.000004: • All treatment procedures such as surgery, puncture, curettage or abrasion entailing wounds shall be
p.000004: based on precise medical grounds and the patient or concerned individual shall be informed and his prior consent
p.000004: shall be obtained, except in the case of an emergency or if the patient is unconscious and has no
p.000004: close relatives.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 10. Relations Among Health-care Professionals
p.000004:
p.000004: All health-care professionals shall respect each other’s dignity, by not criticising or insulting other health
p.000004: care providers, or luring away their colleagues' patients[;] they shall foster and encourage the lawful
p.000004: practice of health-care services.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 11. Health-care Establishments
p.000004:
p.000004: Health-care establishments consist of:
p.000004:
p.000004: • Public health-care establishments, including: central hospitals9, specialist care centres, regional
p.000004: hospitals, provincial hospitals, city hospitals, district and municipal hospitals, health centres, village drug
p.000004: kits, [and] hospitals and medical clinics10 practising traditional medicine;
p.000004: • Private health-care establishments, including hospitals, medical clinics, and hospitals and medical
p.000004: clinics practising traditional medicine.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 12. The Health-care System
p.000004:
p.000004: The health-care system in the Lao PDR consists of:
p.000004:
p.000004: 1. The public health-care system;
p.000004: 2. The private health-care system.
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004: 8 The reader should note that the Lao language does not distinguish between genders in
p.000004: pronouns. In this translation, a reference to a gender is a reference to all genders, unless the context requires
p.000004: otherwise. The translators’ decision to use the male gender was made in the interest of simplicity and
p.000004: consistency.
p.000004:
p.000004: 9 This is a reference to hospitals at the central level.
p.000004:
p.000004: 10 The term “clinic” here is qualified by “practicing traditional medicine” and means a place where
p.000004: traditional medical practitioners sell herbs and also dispense care.
p.000004:
p.000005: 5
p.000005:
p.000005: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 13. The Public Health-care System
p.000005:
p.000005: There are four levels of public health-care system:
p.000005:
p.000005: 1. Primary health-care services;
p.000005: 2. Intermediate level health-care services;
p.000005: 3. High-level health-care services;
p.000005: 4. Advanced health-care services.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 14. Primary Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Primary health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the village drug kits and health centres.
p.000005:
p.000005: The village drug kits are premises which provide essential drugs and health care for the populations of villages in
p.000005: which there are no health centres. The village drug kits are staffed by village assistant physicians or
p.000005: village public-health volunteers and traditional birth attendants, and have basic medical instruments.
p.000005: They provide drugs and offer consultations and treatment for benign seasonal illnesses, in particular diarrhoea,
p.000005: malaria, flu and minor wounds, assist in home births and distribute medicine.
p.000005:
p.000005: A health centre is a public place providing treatment in the village, which possesses health consultation
p.000005: rooms, and overnight accommodation. The centre is staffed by physicians, assistant physicians, nurses and midwives,
p.000005: possesses basic medical instruments and materials and is able to provide essential procedures and
p.000005: technology. Health centres are able to provide consultations and higher level treatments than those
p.000005: provided by the village drug kits, such as treatment for chronic diarrhoea, prolonged flu, wound suture,
p.000005: vaccination and assistance with childbirth.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 15. Intermediate Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Intermediate health care services are the medical treatments provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: District and municipal hospitals are staffed by physicians and assistant physicians, dentists and assistant
p.000005: dentists, nurses, midwives and medical technicians, have medical materials and equipment and employ the necessary
p.000005: techniques and technologies. They are responsible for providing consultations and treatments in the four basic
p.000005: disciplines: internal medicine, external medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 16. High-level Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: High-level health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: Provincial and regional hospitals are staffed by physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and different
p.000005: medical technicians, have medical materials
p.000005:
p.000005:
p.000006: 6
p.000006:
p.000006: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000006:
p.000006: and equipment, employ modern procedures and technologies, and are able to provide consultations and higher-level
p.000006: treatments than those provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 17. Advanced Health-care Services
p.000006:
p.000006: Advanced health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the central hospitals and specialist health care
p.000006: centres.
p.000006:
...
p.000007: • To take part in training and evaluation;
p.000007: • To exercise all other rights and perform all other duties in accordance with the laws and regulations.
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 23. Consultations
p.000007:
p.000007: Health-care professionals shall provide consultation to patients with high responsibility, expeditiousness
p.000007: and timeliness by using knowledge, experience, [and] intelligence, and by employing appropriate
p.000007: medical materials and equipment, scientific techniques and suitable technology to assist with the diagnosis.
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 24. Diagnoses
p.000007:
p.000007: Health-care professionals shall provide correct and precise diagnoses, [and] exercise due professional diligence by
p.000007: availing themselves of the data, the evidence of results of examinations, and different types of analysis,
p.000007: in order to determine the appropriate treatment and restore the patient’s health.
p.000007:
p.000007: 11 The translators are aware that a different, broader term “medical certificates” is used in Article
p.000007: 33. Here, the Lao specifically refers to certification that one has been treated by a doctor.
p.000007:
p.000008: 8
p.000008:
p.000008: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000008:
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 25. Prescription of Treatment
p.000008:
p.000008: Health-care professionals shall prescribe treatment to provide proper care, ensuring quality and safety.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 26. Prescription of Drugs
p.000008:
p.000008: Proper prescription of drugs shall specify the patient's name, address, the diagnosis, the drugs, their number, dose
p.000008: and mode of administration. The drug prescription shall be written in a legible manner and include the day,
p.000008: month and year, and the name and signature of the physician or dentist.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 27. Issuance of Drugs
p.000008:
p.000008: Drugs shall be issued by pharmacists, nurses or midwives, who shall strictly comply with the prescriptions made
p.000008: by the physician or dentist and shall provide the patients with a detailed explanation of their use.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 28. Advice and Consideration of Patients' Opinions and Decisions
p.000008:
p.000008: After consultation and diagnosis, health-care professionals shall provide patients with advice to
p.000008: enable them to understand their condition, recommend the method of treatment to patients and strictly and
p.000008: properly undertake treatment.12
p.000008:
p.000008: Health-care professionals shall listen to the opinions and decisions of patients.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 29. Nursing care
p.000008:
p.000008: Nursing care is the treatment, curative care and close surveillance of patients by health-care
p.000008: professionals such as: nurses, midwives and physiotherapists…13 Nursing care shall be properly provided
p.000008: in accordance with the prescription of the physician or dentist or practiced in accordance with the rights
p.000008: and duties of nursing professionals.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 30. Duty Roster
p.000008:
p.000008: The duty roster in health-care establishments has the aim of monitoring the condition of patients and making
p.000008: available 24-hour care provided by all health-care professionals with due professional diligence in undertaking
p.000008: their shift of the duty roster.
p.000008:
p.000008:
p.000008:
p.000008:
...
p.000011:
p.000011: • Engage in trafficking in any product or organ from any part of the human body;
p.000011: • Provide care in prohibited establishments;
p.000011: • Provide unauthorised care;
p.000011: • Provide unlawful care.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 37. Prohibition Against Providing Health Care for Primarily Commercial Objectives
p.000011:
p.000011: No health-care professional shall provide care to patients with making profit as the primary commercial objective. No
p.000011: excessive advertisement may be used to attract patients. The layout of any advertisement displayed in their health-care
p.000011: establishments shall be non-commercial in character.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 38. Prohibition Against the Issuance of Medical Certificates as an Accomplice
p.000011:
p.000011: No health-care professional shall issue misleading reports, [or] medical certificates that are untrue and infringe the
p.000011: laws and regulations, in complicity with a patient or any other person.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 39. Prohibition Against Trafficking in any Product or Organ from Any Part of the Human Body
p.000011:
p.000011: No health-care professional shall encourage the trade of products or organs from the human body, such
p.000011: as: blood, organs, tissue, cells or other human bodily products, whether from a living or deceased patient,
p.000011: except as otherwise provided by the laws.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 40. Prohibited Health-care Establishments
p.000011:
p.000011: It shall be prohibited to provide consultations and treatment to patients in the following establishments:
p.000011:
p.000011: • Commercial premises such as shopping centres or markets;
p.000011: • Drug stores, [and] stores selling medical consumables, instruments and apparatus;
p.000011: • Any other premises specified by the laws or regulations.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 41. Prohibition Against the Provision of Unauthorised Care
p.000011:
p.000011: It shall be prohibited to provide any treatment or procedure that has not been authorised, or to use any treatment
p.000011: method that has not been authorised [or]17 cannot be inspected by the Ministry of Health.
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011: 17 The Lao word “and” is sometimes used in a disjunctive sense. Here, the original is “and” but the context
p.000011: makes it clear that the disjunctive “or” is intended.
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000012: 12
p.000012:
p.000012: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 42. Prohibition Against the Unlawful Provision of Care
p.000012:
p.000012: It shall be prohibited to encourage or promote unlawful care such as unauthorised abortions, [and] carrying
p.000012: out procedures that are dangerous to the health of patients.
p.000012:
p.000012: Chapter 5 Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 43. Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing is the systematic administration of income and expenditure, as provided for by the
p.000012: laws and regulations, in order to ensure that all citizens are in the position to have fair and equitable access
p.000012: to health care and to have a better state of health.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 44. Sources of Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing shall be derived from:
p.000012:
...
Health / Healthy People
Searching for indicator volunteers:
(return to top)
p.000004: pronouns. In this translation, a reference to a gender is a reference to all genders, unless the context requires
p.000004: otherwise. The translators’ decision to use the male gender was made in the interest of simplicity and
p.000004: consistency.
p.000004:
p.000004: 9 This is a reference to hospitals at the central level.
p.000004:
p.000004: 10 The term “clinic” here is qualified by “practicing traditional medicine” and means a place where
p.000004: traditional medical practitioners sell herbs and also dispense care.
p.000004:
p.000005: 5
p.000005:
p.000005: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 13. The Public Health-care System
p.000005:
p.000005: There are four levels of public health-care system:
p.000005:
p.000005: 1. Primary health-care services;
p.000005: 2. Intermediate level health-care services;
p.000005: 3. High-level health-care services;
p.000005: 4. Advanced health-care services.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 14. Primary Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Primary health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the village drug kits and health centres.
p.000005:
p.000005: The village drug kits are premises which provide essential drugs and health care for the populations of villages in
p.000005: which there are no health centres. The village drug kits are staffed by village assistant physicians or
p.000005: village public-health volunteers and traditional birth attendants, and have basic medical instruments.
p.000005: They provide drugs and offer consultations and treatment for benign seasonal illnesses, in particular diarrhoea,
p.000005: malaria, flu and minor wounds, assist in home births and distribute medicine.
p.000005:
p.000005: A health centre is a public place providing treatment in the village, which possesses health consultation
p.000005: rooms, and overnight accommodation. The centre is staffed by physicians, assistant physicians, nurses and midwives,
p.000005: possesses basic medical instruments and materials and is able to provide essential procedures and
p.000005: technology. Health centres are able to provide consultations and higher level treatments than those
p.000005: provided by the village drug kits, such as treatment for chronic diarrhoea, prolonged flu, wound suture,
p.000005: vaccination and assistance with childbirth.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 15. Intermediate Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Intermediate health care services are the medical treatments provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: District and municipal hospitals are staffed by physicians and assistant physicians, dentists and assistant
p.000005: dentists, nurses, midwives and medical technicians, have medical materials and equipment and employ the necessary
p.000005: techniques and technologies. They are responsible for providing consultations and treatments in the four basic
p.000005: disciplines: internal medicine, external medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 16. High-level Health-care Services
...
Health / Mentally Disabled
Searching for indicator disabled:
(return to top)
p.000012: 3. Social health insurance funds;
p.000012: 4. Social contributions;
p.000012: 5. Contributions from international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 45. Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Health insurance funds are one source of health-care financing that is divided into several types: community health
p.000012: insurance, civil-servants health insurance, enterprise health insurance, private health insurance and public
p.000012: welfare health insurance, which are administered by fund management committees or boards of management.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
p.000012: servants, employees and staff, including retirees,
p.000012:
p.000012:
p.000013: 13
p.000013:
p.000013: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000013:
p.000013: veterans, [and] the disabled and persons who are no longer able to work belonging to Party
p.000013: organisations, State organisations, the Lao Front for National Reconstruction, and mass organisations,
p.000013: and by government contributions.
p.000013:
p.000013: When members of this fund, including disabled persons belonging to the special category, their spouses and children not
p.000013: exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by the civil-servants
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 48. Enterprise Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Enterprise health insurance funds are financed by contributions from enterprise employees and employers.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds, including their spouses and children not exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their enterprise health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 49. Private Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Private health insurance funds are financed by contributions from individuals who are not members of
p.000013: any health insurance fund above, including entrepreneurs, merchants and self-employed professionals.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by their private
p.000013: health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
...
Searching for indicator disability:
(return to top)
p.000001:
p.000001: The Law on Health Care determines the principles, regulations and different measures relating to the
p.000001: organisation, activities, management and control of health care activities, in order to ensure that all citizens,
p.000001: families and communities have access to equal, full, equitable and quality health care services, [and] to
p.000001: protect the rights and interests of health care professional workers, with the aim of increasingly developing
p.000001: modern health care services to enable all citizens to have good health and to be able to effectively
p.000001: contribute to the protection and development of the nation.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 2. Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: Health care is the service made available to patients by the conscious responsibility of health-care professionals
p.000001: through consultation, screening, diagnosis, prescription of drugs, application of medical
p.000001: procedures, convalescence and rehabilitation so as to cure patients and ensure that they enjoy a
p.000001: satisfactory state of health, including health promotion and preventive measures for the population.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 3. Interpretation of Terms
p.000001:
p.000001: The terms used in this law shall have the following meanings:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1. Good health means a state of complete physical, mental, intellectual and social well-being and not
p.000001: merely the absence of disease or disability. Good health is a valuable possession, as well as
p.000001: a fundamental and equitable right[;] it is the obligation of all citizens, as well as of their families and of
p.000001: the society as whole, and it is an essential condition for education, productive labour and happy lives;
p.000001: 2. Health-care professionals are practitioners who provide medical professional treatment under the
p.000001: conditions defined by this law.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1
p.000001:
p.000001: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000001:
p.000001: Health-care professionals practising modern medical treatment are: physicians, assistant physicians, dentists,
p.000001: assistant dentists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, laboratory and x-ray technicians,
p.000001: optometrists, speech therapists, psychologists and dieticians.
p.000001: Health-care professionals practising traditional medicine are: traditional physicians, traditional
p.000001: masseurs and acupuncturists.
p.000001: Specific regulations will be separately issued for the practise of traditional medicine;
p.000001: 3. Hospital means a public or private health-care establishment1 providing treatment to patients,
p.000001: which is authorised by the Ministry of Health, which is installed with medical equipment, which is able to
p.000001: admit patients and which has a number of health-care professionals in accordance with the health-care regulations;
p.000001: 4. Medical clinic means a public or private health-care establishment, which is authorised by the Ministry
p.000001: of Health, in which basic medical equipment and health-care professionals are available, but which is not able to admit
p.000001: patients;
...
p.000008: translators to definitively resolve that this is the case.
p.000008:
p.000008: 13 In Lao, using three dots in punctuation implies “etc.” or “and others”.
p.000008:
p.000009: 9
p.000009:
p.000009: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000009:
p.000009: The medical profession council may grant exemptions to health-care professionals who are unable to
p.000009: undertake their turn on the duty roster for reasons of age or health.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 31. Information for Patients
p.000009:
p.000009: Health-care professionals shall provide patients, their families or community with the following information:
p.000009:
p.000009: • Non-confidential medical information at their request, or to satisfy their interest or wishes;
p.000009: • Explanations concerning medical care such as consultations, diagnoses, curative care,
p.000009: treatment, nutrition, rehabilitation, preventive measures, risks, dangers, degree of severity,
p.000009: difficulties, possible options, and the different techniques or inevitable outcomes of care.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 32. Maintaining the Confidentiality of Patients
p.000009:
p.000009: All health-care professionals shall strictly maintain confidentiality in respect of illnesses or details of
p.000009: living or deceased patients, for the patient’s benefit, except for those cases provided by laws or regulations.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 33. Issuance of Medical Certificates
p.000009:
p.000009: Medical certificates include health certificates, birth certificates, death certificates, certificates of disability
p.000009: and any other certificates issued by health-care professionals as legal evidence.
p.000009:
p.000009: Medical certificates shall be properly issued in conformity with medical scientific principles and
p.000009: using the form required by the regulations.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 34. In-Service Training
p.000009:
p.000009: All health-care professionals are required to continuously improve their knowledge and skills, [and] to
p.000009: take part in training activities and evaluation of their professional practices, in order to improve the
p.000009: quality of their consultations, diagnoses and care, [and] to keep abreast of the latest scientific
p.000009: progress, for the interests and safety of patients.
p.000009:
p.000009: The medical profession council shall have the right and duty to assess and evaluate in-service training at least once
p.000009: every two years, in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000010: 10
p.000010:
p.000010: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000010:
p.000010: Article 35. Ethics14 of Health-care Professionals
p.000010:
p.000010: The ethics of health-care professionals determines standards of conduct applicable to physicians, dentists, nurses,
p.000010: midwives and medical technicians in order to improve the quality and efficiency of the professional care provided by
p.000010: them.
p.000010:
p.000010: The ethics of health-care professionals shall have the following contents:15
p.000010:
...
Health / Motherhood/Family
Searching for indicator family:
(return to top)
p.000017:
p.000017:
p.000017: duties:
p.000017: The health-care inspection agencies shall have the following rights and
p.000017:
p.000017:
p.000017: • To monitor the implementation of the health-care strategy and plan, and of laws and regulations relating
p.000017: to health care;
p.000017: • To monitor the standards [issued by the Ministry] on the recruitment of staff, [and] the
p.000017: installation of medical materials and equipment, [to monitor] the implementation of administrative and professional
p.000017: rules [issued by the Ministry of Health] and [to monitor] the performance and practices of
p.000017: health-care professionals in the health-care establishments;
p.000017: • To monitor the administration and use of health insurance funds;
p.000017: • To monitor the resolution of proposals of citizens and organisations relating to health
p.000017: care;
p.000017: • To exercise other rights and perform other inspection duties provided by the laws and regulations.
p.000017:
p.000017: Article 61. Tests Using Medical Science
p.000017:
p.000017: Tests using medical science refers to scientific analysis and searching in order to certify facts or incorrect
p.000017: treatment at the request of individuals or institutions, in particular by the public prosecutor or the peoples' court.
p.000017:
p.000017: The Minister for Health shall designate a highly-experienced professional in the field of health
p.000017: care or forensic medicine to conduct tests using medical science.
p.000017:
p.000017: No health-care professional who has provided treatment to those patients shall be designated to carry out
p.000017: tests using medical science. In the event that such health-care professional is a family member, relative or
p.000017: close friend of the patient or is a member of any group of persons who have joint interests, he shall be also be
p.000017: prohibited from conducting tests using medical science.20
p.000017:
p.000017: 20 Presumably, the prohibitions in this paragraph extend only to tests where there is a conflict of
p.000017: interests. However, the text is not specific on this point.
p.000017:
p.000018: 18
p.000018:
p.000018: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018: Chapter 8
p.000018: Policies towards Persons who have Performed Well and Measures Against Violators21
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 62. Policies Toward Persons Who Have Performed Well
p.000018:
p.000018: Individuals or organisations which have outstanding performance in the implementation of this Law on Health Care
p.000018: will receive awards or other appropriate policies.
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 63. Measures Against Violators
p.000018:
p.000018: Individuals or organisations which violate this Law on Health Care shall be re-educated, fined or subject to
p.000018: civil liability or criminal punishment, as determined on a case by case basis.
p.000018:
p.000018: Chapter 9 Final Provisions
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 64. Implementation
p.000018:
p.000018: The government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is entrusted to implement this law.
p.000018:
p.000018:
p.000018: Article 65. Effectiveness
p.000018:
p.000018: This Law on Health Care shall enter into force after ninety days from the date of the promulgating decree issued by the
p.000018: President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
p.000018:
p.000018: All regulations and provisions that contravene this law are null and
p.000018: void.
p.000018:
...
Health / Unconscious People
Searching for indicator unconscious:
(return to top)
p.000003: • Have Lao nationality and reside in the Lao PDR, except if otherwise provided by a separate decision.
p.000003:
p.000003: Article 9. Responsibilities of Health-care Professionals
p.000003:
p.000003: Health-care professionals shall have the following responsibilities:
p.000003:
p.000003: • To prescribe and recommend health-care protocols and to conduct necessary health-care procedures ensuring high
p.000003: quality and safety;
p.000003: • To take into account the results, disadvantages7, and consequences of examinations and any possible
p.000003: treatments[;] if health-care professionals ascertain that the patient's condition does not correspond
p.000003: to their special field or skill, they shall immediately
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003: brackets) to reflect this dichotomy, but readers should note that, in the original text, items 3 and 4 do not
p.000003: specifically refer to health-care providers.
p.000003:
p.000003: 7 The literal translation is “loss”.
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000004: 4
p.000004:
p.000004: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000004:
p.000004: refer the patient or his8 relatives to another health-care establishment that can offer more suitable
p.000004: treatment;
p.000004: • All treatment procedures such as surgery, puncture, curettage or abrasion entailing wounds shall be
p.000004: based on precise medical grounds and the patient or concerned individual shall be informed and his prior consent
p.000004: shall be obtained, except in the case of an emergency or if the patient is unconscious and has no
p.000004: close relatives.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 10. Relations Among Health-care Professionals
p.000004:
p.000004: All health-care professionals shall respect each other’s dignity, by not criticising or insulting other health
p.000004: care providers, or luring away their colleagues' patients[;] they shall foster and encourage the lawful
p.000004: practice of health-care services.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 11. Health-care Establishments
p.000004:
p.000004: Health-care establishments consist of:
p.000004:
p.000004: • Public health-care establishments, including: central hospitals9, specialist care centres, regional
p.000004: hospitals, provincial hospitals, city hospitals, district and municipal hospitals, health centres, village drug
p.000004: kits, [and] hospitals and medical clinics10 practising traditional medicine;
p.000004: • Private health-care establishments, including hospitals, medical clinics, and hospitals and medical
p.000004: clinics practising traditional medicine.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 12. The Health-care System
p.000004:
p.000004: The health-care system in the Lao PDR consists of:
p.000004:
p.000004: 1. The public health-care system;
p.000004: 2. The private health-care system.
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004: 8 The reader should note that the Lao language does not distinguish between genders in
p.000004: pronouns. In this translation, a reference to a gender is a reference to all genders, unless the context requires
...
Health / ill
Searching for indicator ill:
(return to top)
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 6. Principles of Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: Health care shall be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
p.000002:
p.000002: 1. Respect for the right to life of humans;
...
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 16. High-level Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: High-level health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: Provincial and regional hospitals are staffed by physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and different
p.000005: medical technicians, have medical materials
p.000005:
p.000005:
p.000006: 6
p.000006:
p.000006: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000006:
p.000006: and equipment, employ modern procedures and technologies, and are able to provide consultations and higher-level
p.000006: treatments than those provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 17. Advanced Health-care Services
p.000006:
p.000006: Advanced health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the central hospitals and specialist health care
p.000006: centres.
p.000006:
p.000006: Advanced health-care services are staffed by specialists, physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and
p.000006: different medical technicians, have medical materials and equipment, employ modern procedures and
p.000006: technologies, and are able to provide consultations and higher-level treatments than those provided by the
p.000006: provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 18. The Public Health-care Referral System
p.000006:
p.000006: Patients who use public health-care services are entitled to receive primary-level health-care and to be
p.000006: transferred to the intermediate, high and advanced level treatments depending on the gravity of their condition.
p.000006: In case of an emergency, or if the patient is seriously ill, he may directly receive intermediate high or
p.000006: advanced level treatment.
p.000006:
p.000006: With regard to public health-care services, lower-level hospitals may refer to higher-level hospitals for
p.000006: assessment of the situation, advice and assistance.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 19. The Private Health-care System
p.000006:
p.000006: The private health-care system consists of private hospitals, medical clinics, physiotherapy practices,
p.000006: saunas, traditional massage practices and traditional medicine practices.
p.000006:
p.000006: Private hospitals, medical clinics, physiotherapy practices, saunas and traditional massage practices must possess
p.000006: medical facilities, staff, materials and equipment and employ procedures and technology in accordance with the
p.000006: regulations of the Ministry of Health.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 20. Medical Clinics
p.000006:
p.000006: A health-care professional may have only one medical clinic, which he may neither rent out nor lend. If the authorised
p.000006: health-care professional of the medical clinic dies or is unable to practice, no other person shall use or
p.000006: practice in such medical clinic without prior authorisation of the Ministry of Health.
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000007: 7
p.000007:
p.000007: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 21. Medical Materials and Equipment
p.000007:
p.000007: Installation of medical materials and equipment in public and private health-care establishments at different levels
p.000007: shall comply with the standards for such level of health-care services issued by the Ministry of Health.
p.000007:
...
Social / Access to Social Goods
Searching for indicator access:
(return to top)
p.000001:
p.000001: Pursuant to Chapter 6, Article 67, point 1 of the Constitution of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and
p.000001: the laws adopted by the National Assembly;
p.000001:
p.000001: Pursuant to a resolution dated 9th November 2005 of the 9th Ordinary Session of the National Assembly on the adoption
p.000001: of the Law on Health Care No. 53; and
p.000001:
p.000001: Pursuant to Proposal No. 16/SCNA, dated 18 November 2005, of the National Assembly Standing Committee.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: The President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Decrees That:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 1. The Law on Health Care is hereby promulgated.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 2. This decree shall enter into force on the day it is signed.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Vientiane, 9 December 2005 President of Lao People’s Democratic Republic
p.000001:
p.000001: [Seal and Signature]
p.000001:
p.000001: Khamtai SIPHANDON
p.000001:
p.000001: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
p.000001: PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: National Assembly No. 09/NA
p.000001: 9 November 2005
p.000001:
p.000001: LAW ON HEALTH CARE
p.000001: Chapter 1 General Provisions
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 1. Purpose
p.000001:
p.000001: The Law on Health Care determines the principles, regulations and different measures relating to the
p.000001: organisation, activities, management and control of health care activities, in order to ensure that all citizens,
p.000001: families and communities have access to equal, full, equitable and quality health care services, [and] to
p.000001: protect the rights and interests of health care professional workers, with the aim of increasingly developing
p.000001: modern health care services to enable all citizens to have good health and to be able to effectively
p.000001: contribute to the protection and development of the nation.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 2. Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: Health care is the service made available to patients by the conscious responsibility of health-care professionals
p.000001: through consultation, screening, diagnosis, prescription of drugs, application of medical
p.000001: procedures, convalescence and rehabilitation so as to cure patients and ensure that they enjoy a
p.000001: satisfactory state of health, including health promotion and preventive measures for the population.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 3. Interpretation of Terms
p.000001:
p.000001: The terms used in this law shall have the following meanings:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1. Good health means a state of complete physical, mental, intellectual and social well-being and not
p.000001: merely the absence of disease or disability. Good health is a valuable possession, as well as
p.000001: a fundamental and equitable right[;] it is the obligation of all citizens, as well as of their families and of
p.000001: the society as whole, and it is an essential condition for education, productive labour and happy lives;
...
p.000011:
p.000011: • Commercial premises such as shopping centres or markets;
p.000011: • Drug stores, [and] stores selling medical consumables, instruments and apparatus;
p.000011: • Any other premises specified by the laws or regulations.
p.000011:
p.000011: Article 41. Prohibition Against the Provision of Unauthorised Care
p.000011:
p.000011: It shall be prohibited to provide any treatment or procedure that has not been authorised, or to use any treatment
p.000011: method that has not been authorised [or]17 cannot be inspected by the Ministry of Health.
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000011: 17 The Lao word “and” is sometimes used in a disjunctive sense. Here, the original is “and” but the context
p.000011: makes it clear that the disjunctive “or” is intended.
p.000011:
p.000011:
p.000012: 12
p.000012:
p.000012: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 42. Prohibition Against the Unlawful Provision of Care
p.000012:
p.000012: It shall be prohibited to encourage or promote unlawful care such as unauthorised abortions, [and] carrying
p.000012: out procedures that are dangerous to the health of patients.
p.000012:
p.000012: Chapter 5 Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 43. Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing is the systematic administration of income and expenditure, as provided for by the
p.000012: laws and regulations, in order to ensure that all citizens are in the position to have fair and equitable access
p.000012: to health care and to have a better state of health.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 44. Sources of Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing shall be derived from:
p.000012:
p.000012: 1. The State budget;
p.000012: 2. Direct payments by patients;
p.000012: 3. Social health insurance funds;
p.000012: 4. Social contributions;
p.000012: 5. Contributions from international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 45. Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Health insurance funds are one source of health-care financing that is divided into several types: community health
p.000012: insurance, civil-servants health insurance, enterprise health insurance, private health insurance and public
p.000012: welfare health insurance, which are administered by fund management committees or boards of management.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
...
Social / Age
Searching for indicator age:
(return to top)
p.000001: sources such as: the State budget, contributions from participants, individuals or domestic and international
p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
...
p.000008: properly undertake treatment.12
p.000008:
p.000008: Health-care professionals shall listen to the opinions and decisions of patients.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 29. Nursing care
p.000008:
p.000008: Nursing care is the treatment, curative care and close surveillance of patients by health-care
p.000008: professionals such as: nurses, midwives and physiotherapists…13 Nursing care shall be properly provided
p.000008: in accordance with the prescription of the physician or dentist or practiced in accordance with the rights
p.000008: and duties of nursing professionals.
p.000008:
p.000008: Article 30. Duty Roster
p.000008:
p.000008: The duty roster in health-care establishments has the aim of monitoring the condition of patients and making
p.000008: available 24-hour care provided by all health-care professionals with due professional diligence in undertaking
p.000008: their shift of the duty roster.
p.000008:
p.000008:
p.000008:
p.000008:
p.000008: 12 The last clause “strictly and properly undertake treatment” appears to refer to the patients
p.000008: being persuaded by the advice and recommendation to undertake treatment. However, the Lao text does not allow the
p.000008: translators to definitively resolve that this is the case.
p.000008:
p.000008: 13 In Lao, using three dots in punctuation implies “etc.” or “and others”.
p.000008:
p.000009: 9
p.000009:
p.000009: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000009:
p.000009: The medical profession council may grant exemptions to health-care professionals who are unable to
p.000009: undertake their turn on the duty roster for reasons of age or health.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 31. Information for Patients
p.000009:
p.000009: Health-care professionals shall provide patients, their families or community with the following information:
p.000009:
p.000009: • Non-confidential medical information at their request, or to satisfy their interest or wishes;
p.000009: • Explanations concerning medical care such as consultations, diagnoses, curative care,
p.000009: treatment, nutrition, rehabilitation, preventive measures, risks, dangers, degree of severity,
p.000009: difficulties, possible options, and the different techniques or inevitable outcomes of care.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 32. Maintaining the Confidentiality of Patients
p.000009:
p.000009: All health-care professionals shall strictly maintain confidentiality in respect of illnesses or details of
p.000009: living or deceased patients, for the patient’s benefit, except for those cases provided by laws or regulations.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 33. Issuance of Medical Certificates
p.000009:
p.000009: Medical certificates include health certificates, birth certificates, death certificates, certificates of disability
p.000009: and any other certificates issued by health-care professionals as legal evidence.
p.000009:
p.000009: Medical certificates shall be properly issued in conformity with medical scientific principles and
p.000009: using the form required by the regulations.
p.000009:
p.000009: Article 34. In-Service Training
p.000009:
p.000009: All health-care professionals are required to continuously improve their knowledge and skills, [and] to
p.000009: take part in training activities and evaluation of their professional practices, in order to improve the
...
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
p.000012: servants, employees and staff, including retirees,
p.000012:
p.000012:
p.000013: 13
p.000013:
p.000013: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000013:
p.000013: veterans, [and] the disabled and persons who are no longer able to work belonging to Party
p.000013: organisations, State organisations, the Lao Front for National Reconstruction, and mass organisations,
p.000013: and by government contributions.
p.000013:
p.000013: When members of this fund, including disabled persons belonging to the special category, their spouses and children not
p.000013: exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by the civil-servants
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 48. Enterprise Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Enterprise health insurance funds are financed by contributions from enterprise employees and employers.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds, including their spouses and children not exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their enterprise health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 49. Private Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Private health insurance funds are financed by contributions from individuals who are not members of
p.000013: any health insurance fund above, including entrepreneurs, merchants and self-employed professionals.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by their private
p.000013: health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 50. Public Welfare Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds at each level are established by the State to assist the poor and people with low
p.000013: incomes, who are unable to pay their membership contributions in any other health insurance fund.
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds are financed by the contributions of the State, individuals, communities,
p.000013: national and international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the poor and people with low incomes, who have been certified by the relevant local administrations, consult or
...
Social / Child
Searching for indicator children:
(return to top)
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 6. Principles of Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: Health care shall be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
p.000002:
p.000002: 1. Respect for the right to life of humans;
p.000002: 2. Provision of equal, equitable and quality care in accordance with the condition of the disease;
p.000002: 3. [Health care] shall be humanitarian[;] in particular, [health-care providers] shall respect medical
p.000002: ethics, and have a high consciousness of responsibility in providing health-care services;
p.000002: 4. [Health-care providers] shall have evidence of consent from the patients, or their relatives in cases of
p.000002: necessity.6
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: 4 The semi-colon at the end of this paragraph is in the original text and indicates that both paragraphs
p.000002: are part of a listing of the rights and obligations of the individual.
p.000002:
p.000002: 5 See footnote 4.
p.000002: 6 The translators are aware that this list of “principles” is formulated such that the first two items are
...
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
p.000012: servants, employees and staff, including retirees,
p.000012:
p.000012:
p.000013: 13
p.000013:
p.000013: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000013:
p.000013: veterans, [and] the disabled and persons who are no longer able to work belonging to Party
p.000013: organisations, State organisations, the Lao Front for National Reconstruction, and mass organisations,
p.000013: and by government contributions.
p.000013:
p.000013: When members of this fund, including disabled persons belonging to the special category, their spouses and children not
p.000013: exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by the civil-servants
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 48. Enterprise Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Enterprise health insurance funds are financed by contributions from enterprise employees and employers.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds, including their spouses and children not exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their enterprise health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 49. Private Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Private health insurance funds are financed by contributions from individuals who are not members of
p.000013: any health insurance fund above, including entrepreneurs, merchants and self-employed professionals.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by their private
p.000013: health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 50. Public Welfare Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds at each level are established by the State to assist the poor and people with low
p.000013: incomes, who are unable to pay their membership contributions in any other health insurance fund.
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds are financed by the contributions of the State, individuals, communities,
p.000013: national and international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000013:
...
Social / Ethnicity
Searching for indicator ethnic:
(return to top)
p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
...
Social / Linguistic Proficiency
Searching for indicator language:
(return to top)
p.000001: behaviour[;] creating favourable conditions[; and] issuing principles and implementing measures in order to
p.000001: improve lifestyles by using health education as the core;2
p.000001: 6. The medical profession council is a body representing health-care professionals, whose members are
p.000001: designated by the Minister for Health and which has the function to administer, inspect3 and
p.000001: investigate health-care activities;
p.000001: 7. The health insurance fund is the organising of a financing system for health care, which is financed by different
p.000001: sources such as: the State budget, contributions from participants, individuals or domestic and international
p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
...
p.000004: shall be obtained, except in the case of an emergency or if the patient is unconscious and has no
p.000004: close relatives.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 10. Relations Among Health-care Professionals
p.000004:
p.000004: All health-care professionals shall respect each other’s dignity, by not criticising or insulting other health
p.000004: care providers, or luring away their colleagues' patients[;] they shall foster and encourage the lawful
p.000004: practice of health-care services.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 11. Health-care Establishments
p.000004:
p.000004: Health-care establishments consist of:
p.000004:
p.000004: • Public health-care establishments, including: central hospitals9, specialist care centres, regional
p.000004: hospitals, provincial hospitals, city hospitals, district and municipal hospitals, health centres, village drug
p.000004: kits, [and] hospitals and medical clinics10 practising traditional medicine;
p.000004: • Private health-care establishments, including hospitals, medical clinics, and hospitals and medical
p.000004: clinics practising traditional medicine.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 12. The Health-care System
p.000004:
p.000004: The health-care system in the Lao PDR consists of:
p.000004:
p.000004: 1. The public health-care system;
p.000004: 2. The private health-care system.
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004: 8 The reader should note that the Lao language does not distinguish between genders in
p.000004: pronouns. In this translation, a reference to a gender is a reference to all genders, unless the context requires
p.000004: otherwise. The translators’ decision to use the male gender was made in the interest of simplicity and
p.000004: consistency.
p.000004:
p.000004: 9 This is a reference to hospitals at the central level.
p.000004:
p.000004: 10 The term “clinic” here is qualified by “practicing traditional medicine” and means a place where
p.000004: traditional medical practitioners sell herbs and also dispense care.
p.000004:
p.000005: 5
p.000005:
p.000005: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 13. The Public Health-care System
p.000005:
p.000005: There are four levels of public health-care system:
p.000005:
p.000005: 1. Primary health-care services;
p.000005: 2. Intermediate level health-care services;
p.000005: 3. High-level health-care services;
p.000005: 4. Advanced health-care services.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 14. Primary Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Primary health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the village drug kits and health centres.
p.000005:
p.000005: The village drug kits are premises which provide essential drugs and health care for the populations of villages in
p.000005: which there are no health centres. The village drug kits are staffed by village assistant physicians or
...
p.000014:
p.000014: Any person who is not a member of any health insurance fund referred to in the above articles shall bear his own cost
p.000014: of treatment when he consults and receives treatment in the different health-care establishments.
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 52. Collecting Fees for Services and Treatment
p.000014:
p.000014: Fees are charged for different medical documents such as medical records, medical certificates and health
p.000014: certificates.
p.000014:
p.000014: Service charges are collected for different services such as accommodation, meals and ambulance
p.000014: transport.
p.000014:
p.000014: Charges for the different medical procedures such as consultations, analyses, x-ray examinations,
p.000014: surgery, drugs, medical devices or other techniques make up treatment charges.
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 53. Administration and Use of Fees, Service Charges and Treatment Charges
p.000014:
p.000014: Administration of fees, service charges and treatment charges shall comply with the laws and regulations relating to
p.000014: the State budget.
p.000014:
p.000014: Chapter 6 Administration of Health-care Services
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 54. Administrative Agencies18
p.000014:
p.000014: The agencies responsible for the administration of health-care services consist of:
p.000014:
p.000014: • The Ministry of Health, at the central level;
p.000014: • Health divisions, at the provincial level;
p.000014: • Health offices, at the district level.
p.000014:
p.000014: In addition to the above agencies, the medical profession council is also a health-care administrative
p.000014: agency.
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014: 18 In the Lao language, the word roughly meaning “the entire organisation of responsible
p.000014: governmental agencies” is capable of being translated as any one of the following English words:
p.000014: “organisation”, “agency”, or “authority”. In choosing which English word to use, the translators have adopted the
p.000014: following convention. Where the governmental agencies in question have in practice adopted an English term
p.000014: for themselves (e.g., the Tax Authority), the translators have used that term. Otherwise, the translators have used the
p.000014: generic term “organisation” or, as in this law, “agency”.
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000015: 15
p.000015:
p.000015: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000015:
p.000015: Article 55. Rights and Duties of the Ministry of Health
p.000015:
p.000015: The Ministry of Health shall have the following rights and duties:
p.000015:
p.000015: 1. To conduct research on the policy and the strategic plan for the management of health-care
p.000015: services, for submission to the government for consideration19;
p.000015: 2. To draw up its own plan, programme of action and detailed projects, on the basis of the policies, plans
p.000015: and decrees adopted by the government, for active implementation;
p.000015: 3. To draw up and improve regulations and standards applicable to health-care services;
p.000015: 4. To supervise the professional organisations and monitor the implementation of health-care
p.000015: regulations and the Law on Health Care, to undertake evaluation and assessment, and to report to the government;
...
Social / Marital Status
Searching for indicator single:
(return to top)
p.000015: administrative agencies that are contrary to the laws and regulations;
p.000015: 6. To consider and deal with the proposals of citizens and organisations relating to the quality
p.000015: and standard of treatment and the administration of health-care activities;
p.000015: 7. To build and train staff by providing them with knowledge, skills and behaviour that conforms to medical ethics;
p.000015: 8. To undertake research and to disseminate [knowledge of] medical science so as to ensure high quality and
p.000015: up-to-date medical treatment;
p.000015: 9. To issue health-care professionals with authorisations to practice;
p.000015: 10. To coordinate on the administration of health-care services with all parties concerned to ensure that
p.000015: the laws and regulations on health care are effectively implemented;
p.000015: 11. To cooperate with foreign countries and international organisations in creating
p.000015: favourable conditions for the administration of health-care services;
p.000015: 12. To exercise other rights and perform other duties prescribed by the laws.
p.000015:
p.000015: Article 56. Rights and Duties of the Health Divisions
p.000015:
p.000015: Each health division shall have the following rights and duties:
p.000015:
p.000015: 1. To draw up its own plan, programme of action and detailed projects for the administration of
p.000015: health-care services, on the basis of the policies, plans and decisions issued by the Ministry of Health;
p.000015: 2. To implement the policy and strategic plan for the administration of health-care services of the Ministry
p.000015: of Health, to undertake
p.000015:
p.000015:
p.000015: 19 The single Lao word translated as “consideration” connotes that the person considering a
p.000015: matter also has the authority to decide such matter.
p.000015:
p.000016: 16
p.000016:
p.000016: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000016:
p.000016: evaluation and assessment, and to report to higher authorities and the Ministry of Health;
p.000016: 3. To supervise the administration of health-care services by the district and municipal health offices;
p.000016: 4. To administer health-care services within its area of responsibility in order to provide quality treatment that
p.000016: conforms to standards;
p.000016: 5. To provide advice, disseminate information and encourage society to practice quality and safe health-care
p.000016: activities;
p.000016: 6. To monitor the advertising of health-care services by health-care professionals under its authority;
p.000016: 7. To consider the applications of individuals intending to practice as health-care professionals and submit
p.000016: them to the Ministry of Health for consideration;
p.000016: 8. To consider and deal with the proposals of citizens or organisations relating to the quality
p.000016: and standard of treatment and the administration of health-care activities ;
p.000016: 9. To coordinate on the administration of health-care services with all concerned sectors to ensure
p.000016: that the laws and regulations on health care are effectively implemented;
p.000016: 10. To exercise other rights and perform other duties prescribed by the laws and regulations.
p.000016:
p.000016: Article 57. Rights and Duties of Health Offices
p.000016:
p.000016: Each health office shall have the following rights and duties:
...
Social / Property Ownership
Searching for indicator home:
(return to top)
p.000004: consistency.
p.000004:
p.000004: 9 This is a reference to hospitals at the central level.
p.000004:
p.000004: 10 The term “clinic” here is qualified by “practicing traditional medicine” and means a place where
p.000004: traditional medical practitioners sell herbs and also dispense care.
p.000004:
p.000005: 5
p.000005:
p.000005: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 13. The Public Health-care System
p.000005:
p.000005: There are four levels of public health-care system:
p.000005:
p.000005: 1. Primary health-care services;
p.000005: 2. Intermediate level health-care services;
p.000005: 3. High-level health-care services;
p.000005: 4. Advanced health-care services.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 14. Primary Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Primary health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the village drug kits and health centres.
p.000005:
p.000005: The village drug kits are premises which provide essential drugs and health care for the populations of villages in
p.000005: which there are no health centres. The village drug kits are staffed by village assistant physicians or
p.000005: village public-health volunteers and traditional birth attendants, and have basic medical instruments.
p.000005: They provide drugs and offer consultations and treatment for benign seasonal illnesses, in particular diarrhoea,
p.000005: malaria, flu and minor wounds, assist in home births and distribute medicine.
p.000005:
p.000005: A health centre is a public place providing treatment in the village, which possesses health consultation
p.000005: rooms, and overnight accommodation. The centre is staffed by physicians, assistant physicians, nurses and midwives,
p.000005: possesses basic medical instruments and materials and is able to provide essential procedures and
p.000005: technology. Health centres are able to provide consultations and higher level treatments than those
p.000005: provided by the village drug kits, such as treatment for chronic diarrhoea, prolonged flu, wound suture,
p.000005: vaccination and assistance with childbirth.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 15. Intermediate Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Intermediate health care services are the medical treatments provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: District and municipal hospitals are staffed by physicians and assistant physicians, dentists and assistant
p.000005: dentists, nurses, midwives and medical technicians, have medical materials and equipment and employ the necessary
p.000005: techniques and technologies. They are responsible for providing consultations and treatments in the four basic
p.000005: disciplines: internal medicine, external medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 16. High-level Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: High-level health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: Provincial and regional hospitals are staffed by physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and different
p.000005: medical technicians, have medical materials
p.000005:
p.000005:
p.000006: 6
p.000006:
...
Social / Racial Minority
Searching for indicator race:
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p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
...
Social / Religion
Searching for indicator faith:
(return to top)
p.000009:
p.000009: The medical profession council shall have the right and duty to assess and evaluate in-service training at least once
p.000009: every two years, in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000009:
p.000010: 10
p.000010:
p.000010: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000010:
p.000010: Article 35. Ethics14 of Health-care Professionals
p.000010:
p.000010: The ethics of health-care professionals determines standards of conduct applicable to physicians, dentists, nurses,
p.000010: midwives and medical technicians in order to improve the quality and efficiency of the professional care provided by
p.000010: them.
p.000010:
p.000010: The ethics of health-care professionals shall have the following contents:15
p.000010:
p.000010: • Respect for human life and the dignity of patients or their relatives without discrimination, including not
p.000010: damaging the reputation of a deceased person16;
p.000010: • Observance of nationally and internationally recognised technical standards of care in order to help patients
p.000010: recover their health;
p.000010: • Fees for health care services shall be collected in accordance with the laws and regulations and no
p.000010: additional charges shall be requested;
p.000010: • Listening to the opinions, purposes and decisions of patients on the basis of the laws and regulations
p.000010: and the rules of the medical profession;
p.000010: • Providing primary assistance to patients in danger by performing first aid in good faith and when they are in
p.000010: the position to do so, without refusing or escaping from that situation;
p.000010: • The duty to persuade patients to cooperate in the treatment, [and] to encourage them for their own interests and
p.000010: not for the interests of the health-care professionals;
p.000010: • Being patient, friendly, courteous and impartial towards patients and their relatives, regardless of
p.000010: their behaviour.
p.000010:
p.000010: Chapter 4 Prohibitions
p.000010:
p.000010: Article 36. Types of Prohibitions
p.000010:
p.000010: No health-care professional shall:
p.000010:
p.000010: • Provide health care with a primarily commercial objective;
p.000010: • Issue a medical certificate as an accomplice;
p.000010:
p.000010:
p.000010:
p.000010: 14 In the Lao text, the reference is to “ethics” rather than to the more common term “code of
p.000010: ethics”. The literal translation here is appropriate because there is no written code. “Ethics” is therefore used in
p.000010: the sense of a “set of principles”.
p.000010:
p.000010: 15 The translators are aware that this list setting out the “contents” or “main points” of ethical
p.000010: principals governing Lao health-care professionals is not framed in a parallel manner.
p.000010:
p.000010: 16 This offence (damaging the reputation of a deceased person) is described in Article 96 of the 2005
p.000010: Amended Penal Law and Article 89 of the 1989 Penal Law (translations of both these laws are available in this
p.000010: series).
p.000010:
p.000011: 11
p.000011:
p.000011: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000011:
...
Searching for indicator religion:
(return to top)
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 6. Principles of Health Care
...
Searching for indicator religious:
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p.000012: out procedures that are dangerous to the health of patients.
p.000012:
p.000012: Chapter 5 Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 43. Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing is the systematic administration of income and expenditure, as provided for by the
p.000012: laws and regulations, in order to ensure that all citizens are in the position to have fair and equitable access
p.000012: to health care and to have a better state of health.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 44. Sources of Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing shall be derived from:
p.000012:
p.000012: 1. The State budget;
p.000012: 2. Direct payments by patients;
p.000012: 3. Social health insurance funds;
p.000012: 4. Social contributions;
p.000012: 5. Contributions from international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 45. Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Health insurance funds are one source of health-care financing that is divided into several types: community health
p.000012: insurance, civil-servants health insurance, enterprise health insurance, private health insurance and public
p.000012: welfare health insurance, which are administered by fund management committees or boards of management.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
p.000012: servants, employees and staff, including retirees,
p.000012:
p.000012:
p.000013: 13
p.000013:
p.000013: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000013:
p.000013: veterans, [and] the disabled and persons who are no longer able to work belonging to Party
p.000013: organisations, State organisations, the Lao Front for National Reconstruction, and mass organisations,
p.000013: and by government contributions.
p.000013:
p.000013: When members of this fund, including disabled persons belonging to the special category, their spouses and children not
p.000013: exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by the civil-servants
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
...
Social / Women
Searching for indicator women:
(return to top)
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 6. Principles of Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: Health care shall be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
p.000002:
p.000002: 1. Respect for the right to life of humans;
p.000002: 2. Provision of equal, equitable and quality care in accordance with the condition of the disease;
p.000002: 3. [Health care] shall be humanitarian[;] in particular, [health-care providers] shall respect medical
p.000002: ethics, and have a high consciousness of responsibility in providing health-care services;
p.000002: 4. [Health-care providers] shall have evidence of consent from the patients, or their relatives in cases of
p.000002: necessity.6
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: 4 The semi-colon at the end of this paragraph is in the original text and indicates that both paragraphs
p.000002: are part of a listing of the rights and obligations of the individual.
p.000002:
p.000002: 5 See footnote 4.
p.000002: 6 The translators are aware that this list of “principles” is formulated such that the first two items are
...
Social / Youth/Minors
Searching for indicator minor:
(return to top)
p.000004: consistency.
p.000004:
p.000004: 9 This is a reference to hospitals at the central level.
p.000004:
p.000004: 10 The term “clinic” here is qualified by “practicing traditional medicine” and means a place where
p.000004: traditional medical practitioners sell herbs and also dispense care.
p.000004:
p.000005: 5
p.000005:
p.000005: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 13. The Public Health-care System
p.000005:
p.000005: There are four levels of public health-care system:
p.000005:
p.000005: 1. Primary health-care services;
p.000005: 2. Intermediate level health-care services;
p.000005: 3. High-level health-care services;
p.000005: 4. Advanced health-care services.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 14. Primary Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Primary health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the village drug kits and health centres.
p.000005:
p.000005: The village drug kits are premises which provide essential drugs and health care for the populations of villages in
p.000005: which there are no health centres. The village drug kits are staffed by village assistant physicians or
p.000005: village public-health volunteers and traditional birth attendants, and have basic medical instruments.
p.000005: They provide drugs and offer consultations and treatment for benign seasonal illnesses, in particular diarrhoea,
p.000005: malaria, flu and minor wounds, assist in home births and distribute medicine.
p.000005:
p.000005: A health centre is a public place providing treatment in the village, which possesses health consultation
p.000005: rooms, and overnight accommodation. The centre is staffed by physicians, assistant physicians, nurses and midwives,
p.000005: possesses basic medical instruments and materials and is able to provide essential procedures and
p.000005: technology. Health centres are able to provide consultations and higher level treatments than those
p.000005: provided by the village drug kits, such as treatment for chronic diarrhoea, prolonged flu, wound suture,
p.000005: vaccination and assistance with childbirth.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 15. Intermediate Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Intermediate health care services are the medical treatments provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: District and municipal hospitals are staffed by physicians and assistant physicians, dentists and assistant
p.000005: dentists, nurses, midwives and medical technicians, have medical materials and equipment and employ the necessary
p.000005: techniques and technologies. They are responsible for providing consultations and treatments in the four basic
p.000005: disciplines: internal medicine, external medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 16. High-level Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: High-level health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: Provincial and regional hospitals are staffed by physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and different
...
Social / education
Searching for indicator education:
(return to top)
p.000001: protect the rights and interests of health care professional workers, with the aim of increasingly developing
p.000001: modern health care services to enable all citizens to have good health and to be able to effectively
p.000001: contribute to the protection and development of the nation.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 2. Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: Health care is the service made available to patients by the conscious responsibility of health-care professionals
p.000001: through consultation, screening, diagnosis, prescription of drugs, application of medical
p.000001: procedures, convalescence and rehabilitation so as to cure patients and ensure that they enjoy a
p.000001: satisfactory state of health, including health promotion and preventive measures for the population.
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 3. Interpretation of Terms
p.000001:
p.000001: The terms used in this law shall have the following meanings:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1. Good health means a state of complete physical, mental, intellectual and social well-being and not
p.000001: merely the absence of disease or disability. Good health is a valuable possession, as well as
p.000001: a fundamental and equitable right[;] it is the obligation of all citizens, as well as of their families and of
p.000001: the society as whole, and it is an essential condition for education, productive labour and happy lives;
p.000001: 2. Health-care professionals are practitioners who provide medical professional treatment under the
p.000001: conditions defined by this law.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: 1
p.000001:
p.000001: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000001:
p.000001: Health-care professionals practising modern medical treatment are: physicians, assistant physicians, dentists,
p.000001: assistant dentists, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, laboratory and x-ray technicians,
p.000001: optometrists, speech therapists, psychologists and dieticians.
p.000001: Health-care professionals practising traditional medicine are: traditional physicians, traditional
p.000001: masseurs and acupuncturists.
p.000001: Specific regulations will be separately issued for the practise of traditional medicine;
p.000001: 3. Hospital means a public or private health-care establishment1 providing treatment to patients,
p.000001: which is authorised by the Ministry of Health, which is installed with medical equipment, which is able to
p.000001: admit patients and which has a number of health-care professionals in accordance with the health-care regulations;
p.000001: 4. Medical clinic means a public or private health-care establishment, which is authorised by the Ministry
p.000001: of Health, in which basic medical equipment and health-care professionals are available, but which is not able to admit
p.000001: patients;
p.000001: 5. Health promotion means[:] increasing the citizens' knowledge, skills and awareness in the control, care
p.000001: and development of their health and [the health of] families, community and society by changing their
p.000001: behaviour[;] creating favourable conditions[; and] issuing principles and implementing measures in order to
p.000001: improve lifestyles by using health education as the core;2
p.000001: 6. The medical profession council is a body representing health-care professionals, whose members are
p.000001: designated by the Minister for Health and which has the function to administer, inspect3 and
p.000001: investigate health-care activities;
p.000001: 7. The health insurance fund is the organising of a financing system for health care, which is financed by different
p.000001: sources such as: the State budget, contributions from participants, individuals or domestic and international
p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
...
p.000002: ethics, and have a high consciousness of responsibility in providing health-care services;
p.000002: 4. [Health-care providers] shall have evidence of consent from the patients, or their relatives in cases of
p.000002: necessity.6
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: 4 The semi-colon at the end of this paragraph is in the original text and indicates that both paragraphs
p.000002: are part of a listing of the rights and obligations of the individual.
p.000002:
p.000002: 5 See footnote 4.
p.000002: 6 The translators are aware that this list of “principles” is formulated such that the first two items are
p.000002: abstract statements of principles whereas the last two items appear to go to the practices of health-care
p.000002: professionals. The translators have attempted (through the addition of the words in square
p.000002:
p.000003: 3
p.000003:
p.000003: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003: Article 7. International Relations
p.000003:
p.000003: The State promotes and encourages international cooperation and assistance in respect of health care, in
p.000003: particular, in scientific research, exchange of information and knowledge, advances in medical technology and
p.000003: training for health-care professionals.
p.000003:
p.000003: Chapter 2
p.000003: The Operation of the Health-care Profession Article 8. Requirements of Health-care Professionals
p.000003: Health-care professionals shall fully meet the following requirements:
p.000003:
p.000003: • Complete at least middle level medical professional education, possess a diploma from a medical
p.000003: educational institution in the Lao PDR or in a foreign country recognised by the Ministry of Education
p.000003: and the Ministry of Health of the Lao PDR;
p.000003: • Obtain authorisation from the Ministry of Health to practise, after verification and proposal from the medical
p.000003: profession council;
p.000003: • Have good attitude[;] and for physicians and dentists, have at least five years' professional experience of
p.000003: health care in public or private hospitals; and for assistant physicians, assistant dentists, nurses,
p.000003: midwives, physiotherapists and other medical technicians, have at least three years’ experience in public or private
p.000003: hospitals;
p.000003: • Be in good physical and mental health and possess a certificate of no communicable diseases from the relevant
p.000003: organisation;
p.000003: • Have never been disciplined, professionally punished or punished for any offence;
p.000003: • Have Lao nationality and reside in the Lao PDR, except if otherwise provided by a separate decision.
p.000003:
p.000003: Article 9. Responsibilities of Health-care Professionals
p.000003:
p.000003: Health-care professionals shall have the following responsibilities:
p.000003:
p.000003: • To prescribe and recommend health-care protocols and to conduct necessary health-care procedures ensuring high
p.000003: quality and safety;
p.000003: • To take into account the results, disadvantages7, and consequences of examinations and any possible
p.000003: treatments[;] if health-care professionals ascertain that the patient's condition does not correspond
p.000003: to their special field or skill, they shall immediately
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003: brackets) to reflect this dichotomy, but readers should note that, in the original text, items 3 and 4 do not
p.000003: specifically refer to health-care providers.
p.000003:
p.000003: 7 The literal translation is “loss”.
...
Searching for indicator educational:
(return to top)
p.000002: 4. [Health-care providers] shall have evidence of consent from the patients, or their relatives in cases of
p.000002: necessity.6
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: 4 The semi-colon at the end of this paragraph is in the original text and indicates that both paragraphs
p.000002: are part of a listing of the rights and obligations of the individual.
p.000002:
p.000002: 5 See footnote 4.
p.000002: 6 The translators are aware that this list of “principles” is formulated such that the first two items are
p.000002: abstract statements of principles whereas the last two items appear to go to the practices of health-care
p.000002: professionals. The translators have attempted (through the addition of the words in square
p.000002:
p.000003: 3
p.000003:
p.000003: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003: Article 7. International Relations
p.000003:
p.000003: The State promotes and encourages international cooperation and assistance in respect of health care, in
p.000003: particular, in scientific research, exchange of information and knowledge, advances in medical technology and
p.000003: training for health-care professionals.
p.000003:
p.000003: Chapter 2
p.000003: The Operation of the Health-care Profession Article 8. Requirements of Health-care Professionals
p.000003: Health-care professionals shall fully meet the following requirements:
p.000003:
p.000003: • Complete at least middle level medical professional education, possess a diploma from a medical
p.000003: educational institution in the Lao PDR or in a foreign country recognised by the Ministry of Education
p.000003: and the Ministry of Health of the Lao PDR;
p.000003: • Obtain authorisation from the Ministry of Health to practise, after verification and proposal from the medical
p.000003: profession council;
p.000003: • Have good attitude[;] and for physicians and dentists, have at least five years' professional experience of
p.000003: health care in public or private hospitals; and for assistant physicians, assistant dentists, nurses,
p.000003: midwives, physiotherapists and other medical technicians, have at least three years’ experience in public or private
p.000003: hospitals;
p.000003: • Be in good physical and mental health and possess a certificate of no communicable diseases from the relevant
p.000003: organisation;
p.000003: • Have never been disciplined, professionally punished or punished for any offence;
p.000003: • Have Lao nationality and reside in the Lao PDR, except if otherwise provided by a separate decision.
p.000003:
p.000003: Article 9. Responsibilities of Health-care Professionals
p.000003:
p.000003: Health-care professionals shall have the following responsibilities:
p.000003:
p.000003: • To prescribe and recommend health-care protocols and to conduct necessary health-care procedures ensuring high
p.000003: quality and safety;
p.000003: • To take into account the results, disadvantages7, and consequences of examinations and any possible
p.000003: treatments[;] if health-care professionals ascertain that the patient's condition does not correspond
p.000003: to their special field or skill, they shall immediately
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003:
...
Social / employees
Searching for indicator employees:
(return to top)
p.000012: to health care and to have a better state of health.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 44. Sources of Health-care Financing
p.000012:
p.000012: Health-care financing shall be derived from:
p.000012:
p.000012: 1. The State budget;
p.000012: 2. Direct payments by patients;
p.000012: 3. Social health insurance funds;
p.000012: 4. Social contributions;
p.000012: 5. Contributions from international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 45. Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Health insurance funds are one source of health-care financing that is divided into several types: community health
p.000012: insurance, civil-servants health insurance, enterprise health insurance, private health insurance and public
p.000012: welfare health insurance, which are administered by fund management committees or boards of management.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 46. Community Health Insurance Funds
p.000012:
p.000012: Community health insurance funds are derived from the contributions of the people, including monks, novices,
p.000012: members of religious orders and students.
p.000012:
p.000012: When members of community health insurance funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care
p.000012: establishments, they do not need to pay for the treatment by themselves, but all their expenses are directly covered by
p.000012: their community health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000012:
p.000012: Article 47. Civil-servants Health Insurance Fund
p.000012:
p.000012: The civil-servants health insurance fund is financed by the contributions of civil
p.000012: servants, employees and staff, including retirees,
p.000012:
p.000012:
p.000013: 13
p.000013:
p.000013: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000013:
p.000013: veterans, [and] the disabled and persons who are no longer able to work belonging to Party
p.000013: organisations, State organisations, the Lao Front for National Reconstruction, and mass organisations,
p.000013: and by government contributions.
p.000013:
p.000013: When members of this fund, including disabled persons belonging to the special category, their spouses and children not
p.000013: exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by the civil-servants
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 48. Enterprise Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Enterprise health insurance funds are financed by contributions from enterprise employees and employers.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds, including their spouses and children not exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their enterprise health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 49. Private Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Private health insurance funds are financed by contributions from individuals who are not members of
p.000013: any health insurance fund above, including entrepreneurs, merchants and self-employed professionals.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by their private
p.000013: health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 50. Public Welfare Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds at each level are established by the State to assist the poor and people with low
p.000013: incomes, who are unable to pay their membership contributions in any other health insurance fund.
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds are financed by the contributions of the State, individuals, communities,
p.000013: national and international organisations and foreign countries.
...
Social / gender
Searching for indicator gender:
(return to top)
p.000001: sources such as: the State budget, contributions from participants, individuals or domestic and international
p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
...
p.000004: close relatives.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 10. Relations Among Health-care Professionals
p.000004:
p.000004: All health-care professionals shall respect each other’s dignity, by not criticising or insulting other health
p.000004: care providers, or luring away their colleagues' patients[;] they shall foster and encourage the lawful
p.000004: practice of health-care services.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 11. Health-care Establishments
p.000004:
p.000004: Health-care establishments consist of:
p.000004:
p.000004: • Public health-care establishments, including: central hospitals9, specialist care centres, regional
p.000004: hospitals, provincial hospitals, city hospitals, district and municipal hospitals, health centres, village drug
p.000004: kits, [and] hospitals and medical clinics10 practising traditional medicine;
p.000004: • Private health-care establishments, including hospitals, medical clinics, and hospitals and medical
p.000004: clinics practising traditional medicine.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 12. The Health-care System
p.000004:
p.000004: The health-care system in the Lao PDR consists of:
p.000004:
p.000004: 1. The public health-care system;
p.000004: 2. The private health-care system.
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004: 8 The reader should note that the Lao language does not distinguish between genders in
p.000004: pronouns. In this translation, a reference to a gender is a reference to all genders, unless the context requires
p.000004: otherwise. The translators’ decision to use the male gender was made in the interest of simplicity and
p.000004: consistency.
p.000004:
p.000004: 9 This is a reference to hospitals at the central level.
p.000004:
p.000004: 10 The term “clinic” here is qualified by “practicing traditional medicine” and means a place where
p.000004: traditional medical practitioners sell herbs and also dispense care.
p.000004:
p.000005: 5
p.000005:
p.000005: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 13. The Public Health-care System
p.000005:
p.000005: There are four levels of public health-care system:
p.000005:
p.000005: 1. Primary health-care services;
p.000005: 2. Intermediate level health-care services;
p.000005: 3. High-level health-care services;
p.000005: 4. Advanced health-care services.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 14. Primary Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: Primary health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the village drug kits and health centres.
p.000005:
p.000005: The village drug kits are premises which provide essential drugs and health care for the populations of villages in
p.000005: which there are no health centres. The village drug kits are staffed by village assistant physicians or
p.000005: village public-health volunteers and traditional birth attendants, and have basic medical instruments.
p.000005: They provide drugs and offer consultations and treatment for benign seasonal illnesses, in particular diarrhoea,
...
Economic / Economic/Poverty
Searching for indicator poor:
(return to top)
p.000001: admit patients and which has a number of health-care professionals in accordance with the health-care regulations;
p.000001: 4. Medical clinic means a public or private health-care establishment, which is authorised by the Ministry
p.000001: of Health, in which basic medical equipment and health-care professionals are available, but which is not able to admit
p.000001: patients;
p.000001: 5. Health promotion means[:] increasing the citizens' knowledge, skills and awareness in the control, care
p.000001: and development of their health and [the health of] families, community and society by changing their
p.000001: behaviour[;] creating favourable conditions[; and] issuing principles and implementing measures in order to
p.000001: improve lifestyles by using health education as the core;2
p.000001: 6. The medical profession council is a body representing health-care professionals, whose members are
p.000001: designated by the Minister for Health and which has the function to administer, inspect3 and
p.000001: investigate health-care activities;
p.000001: 7. The health insurance fund is the organising of a financing system for health care, which is financed by different
p.000001: sources such as: the State budget, contributions from participants, individuals or domestic and international
p.000001: organisations to cover expenditure on health care;
p.000001: 8. Paid health care is medical treatment provided for patients, who shall bear the cost of health care by themselves
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 6. Principles of Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: Health care shall be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
p.000002:
p.000002: 1. Respect for the right to life of humans;
p.000002: 2. Provision of equal, equitable and quality care in accordance with the condition of the disease;
p.000002: 3. [Health care] shall be humanitarian[;] in particular, [health-care providers] shall respect medical
p.000002: ethics, and have a high consciousness of responsibility in providing health-care services;
p.000002: 4. [Health-care providers] shall have evidence of consent from the patients, or their relatives in cases of
p.000002: necessity.6
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: 4 The semi-colon at the end of this paragraph is in the original text and indicates that both paragraphs
p.000002: are part of a listing of the rights and obligations of the individual.
p.000002:
p.000002: 5 See footnote 4.
p.000002: 6 The translators are aware that this list of “principles” is formulated such that the first two items are
p.000002: abstract statements of principles whereas the last two items appear to go to the practices of health-care
...
p.000013: health insurance funds in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 48. Enterprise Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Enterprise health insurance funds are financed by contributions from enterprise employees and employers.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds, including their spouses and children not exceeding eighteen years of age, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their enterprise health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 49. Private Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Private health insurance funds are financed by contributions from individuals who are not members of
p.000013: any health insurance fund above, including entrepreneurs, merchants and self-employed professionals.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the members of these funds consult or receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do
p.000013: not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all their expenses are directly covered by their private
p.000013: health insurance fund in conformity with regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013: Article 50. Public Welfare Health Insurance Funds
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds at each level are established by the State to assist the poor and people with low
p.000013: incomes, who are unable to pay their membership contributions in any other health insurance fund.
p.000013:
p.000013: Public welfare health insurance funds are financed by the contributions of the State, individuals, communities,
p.000013: national and international organisations and foreign countries.
p.000013:
p.000013: When the poor and people with low incomes, who have been certified by the relevant local administrations, consult or
p.000013: receive treatment in different health-care establishments, they do not need to pay directly for the treatment, but all
p.000013: their expenses are directly covered by their public welfare health insurance fund in conformity with
p.000013: regulations.
p.000013:
p.000013:
p.000014: 14
p.000014:
p.000014: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 51. Personal Payment of Health-care Expenses
p.000014:
p.000014: Any person who is not a member of any health insurance fund referred to in the above articles shall bear his own cost
p.000014: of treatment when he consults and receives treatment in the different health-care establishments.
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 52. Collecting Fees for Services and Treatment
p.000014:
p.000014: Fees are charged for different medical documents such as medical records, medical certificates and health
p.000014: certificates.
p.000014:
p.000014: Service charges are collected for different services such as accommodation, meals and ambulance
p.000014: transport.
p.000014:
p.000014: Charges for the different medical procedures such as consultations, analyses, x-ray examinations,
p.000014: surgery, drugs, medical devices or other techniques make up treatment charges.
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 53. Administration and Use of Fees, Service Charges and Treatment Charges
p.000014:
p.000014: Administration of fees, service charges and treatment charges shall comply with the laws and regulations relating to
p.000014: the State budget.
p.000014:
p.000014: Chapter 6 Administration of Health-care Services
p.000014:
...
Searching for indicator socio-economic status:
(return to top)
p.000001: or by the fund in which they are members;
p.000001: 9. Free health care is medical treatment provided for low income patients or poor patients, who are not able
p.000001: to pay for their health care themselves, and who have been certified in accordance with the regulations
p.000001: of the relevant organisation.
p.000001:
p.000001:
p.000001: Article 4. Rights and Obligations of Citizens in Respect of Health Care
p.000001:
p.000001: 1 The literal translation is “place”.
p.000001:
p.000001: 2 The punctuation has been changed to more accurately reflect the breaks in ideas in this
p.000001: paragraph.
p.000001:
p.000001: 3 In the Lao language, the same word is used to represent all of the following related (but slightly
p.000001: different) concepts: “control”, “inspection”, “supervision”, “audit” and “monitoring”. The translators have chosen
p.000001: “inspect” (and its variants) as the most appropriate English equivalent to describe the oversight role of the medical
p.000001: profession council, but readers should note and bear in mind the other meanings that might have been intended.
p.000001:
p.000002: 2
p.000002:
p.000002: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000002:
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, race, religion or socio-economic status, shall be entitled to
p.000002: health care when they are ill and are equally entitled to criticize or bring a complaint if they find that the health
p.000002: care provided is not in conformity with professional techniques or is not equitable; they may choose or change
p.000002: their health-care establishments. If they change their health-care establishment, the health-care
p.000002: professional shall inform the patients of the risks of their conditions and transmit all documents concerning
p.000002: treatment to the patients or their families; 4
p.000002:
p.000002: All citizens are required to observe the internal regulations of health- care establishments and to strictly
p.000002: comply with the advice of health-care professionals.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 5. State Policy on Health Care
p.000002:
p.000002: The State pays attention to improve the quality of health care to ensure that the whole population, and in particular
p.000002: women and children, poor citizens and those who live in remote or isolated areas, have a good state of health;5
p.000002:
p.000002: The State implements the policy of paid and free health care in accordance with regulations [;]
p.000002:
p.000002: The State encourages and promotes all sectors, nationally and internationally, to invest in
p.000002: health-care services by using modern medical equipment and materials;
p.000002:
p.000002: The State promotes health-care services by combining modern and traditional medicine.
p.000002:
p.000002: Article 6. Principles of Health Care
p.000002:
...
General/Other / Public Emergency
Searching for indicator emergency:
(return to top)
p.000003: organisation;
p.000003: • Have never been disciplined, professionally punished or punished for any offence;
p.000003: • Have Lao nationality and reside in the Lao PDR, except if otherwise provided by a separate decision.
p.000003:
p.000003: Article 9. Responsibilities of Health-care Professionals
p.000003:
p.000003: Health-care professionals shall have the following responsibilities:
p.000003:
p.000003: • To prescribe and recommend health-care protocols and to conduct necessary health-care procedures ensuring high
p.000003: quality and safety;
p.000003: • To take into account the results, disadvantages7, and consequences of examinations and any possible
p.000003: treatments[;] if health-care professionals ascertain that the patient's condition does not correspond
p.000003: to their special field or skill, they shall immediately
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000003: brackets) to reflect this dichotomy, but readers should note that, in the original text, items 3 and 4 do not
p.000003: specifically refer to health-care providers.
p.000003:
p.000003: 7 The literal translation is “loss”.
p.000003:
p.000003:
p.000004: 4
p.000004:
p.000004: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000004:
p.000004: refer the patient or his8 relatives to another health-care establishment that can offer more suitable
p.000004: treatment;
p.000004: • All treatment procedures such as surgery, puncture, curettage or abrasion entailing wounds shall be
p.000004: based on precise medical grounds and the patient or concerned individual shall be informed and his prior consent
p.000004: shall be obtained, except in the case of an emergency or if the patient is unconscious and has no
p.000004: close relatives.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 10. Relations Among Health-care Professionals
p.000004:
p.000004: All health-care professionals shall respect each other’s dignity, by not criticising or insulting other health
p.000004: care providers, or luring away their colleagues' patients[;] they shall foster and encourage the lawful
p.000004: practice of health-care services.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 11. Health-care Establishments
p.000004:
p.000004: Health-care establishments consist of:
p.000004:
p.000004: • Public health-care establishments, including: central hospitals9, specialist care centres, regional
p.000004: hospitals, provincial hospitals, city hospitals, district and municipal hospitals, health centres, village drug
p.000004: kits, [and] hospitals and medical clinics10 practising traditional medicine;
p.000004: • Private health-care establishments, including hospitals, medical clinics, and hospitals and medical
p.000004: clinics practising traditional medicine.
p.000004:
p.000004: Article 12. The Health-care System
p.000004:
p.000004: The health-care system in the Lao PDR consists of:
p.000004:
p.000004: 1. The public health-care system;
p.000004: 2. The private health-care system.
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004:
p.000004: 8 The reader should note that the Lao language does not distinguish between genders in
...
p.000005: disciplines: internal medicine, external medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
p.000005:
p.000005: Article 16. High-level Health-care Services
p.000005:
p.000005: High-level health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000005:
p.000005: Provincial and regional hospitals are staffed by physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and different
p.000005: medical technicians, have medical materials
p.000005:
p.000005:
p.000006: 6
p.000006:
p.000006: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000006:
p.000006: and equipment, employ modern procedures and technologies, and are able to provide consultations and higher-level
p.000006: treatments than those provided by the district and municipal hospitals.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 17. Advanced Health-care Services
p.000006:
p.000006: Advanced health-care services are the medical treatments provided by the central hospitals and specialist health care
p.000006: centres.
p.000006:
p.000006: Advanced health-care services are staffed by specialists, physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and
p.000006: different medical technicians, have medical materials and equipment, employ modern procedures and
p.000006: technologies, and are able to provide consultations and higher-level treatments than those provided by the
p.000006: provincial and regional hospitals.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 18. The Public Health-care Referral System
p.000006:
p.000006: Patients who use public health-care services are entitled to receive primary-level health-care and to be
p.000006: transferred to the intermediate, high and advanced level treatments depending on the gravity of their condition.
p.000006: In case of an emergency, or if the patient is seriously ill, he may directly receive intermediate high or
p.000006: advanced level treatment.
p.000006:
p.000006: With regard to public health-care services, lower-level hospitals may refer to higher-level hospitals for
p.000006: assessment of the situation, advice and assistance.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 19. The Private Health-care System
p.000006:
p.000006: The private health-care system consists of private hospitals, medical clinics, physiotherapy practices,
p.000006: saunas, traditional massage practices and traditional medicine practices.
p.000006:
p.000006: Private hospitals, medical clinics, physiotherapy practices, saunas and traditional massage practices must possess
p.000006: medical facilities, staff, materials and equipment and employ procedures and technology in accordance with the
p.000006: regulations of the Ministry of Health.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 20. Medical Clinics
p.000006:
p.000006: A health-care professional may have only one medical clinic, which he may neither rent out nor lend. If the authorised
p.000006: health-care professional of the medical clinic dies or is unable to practice, no other person shall use or
p.000006: practice in such medical clinic without prior authorisation of the Ministry of Health.
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000007: 7
p.000007:
p.000007: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 21. Medical Materials and Equipment
p.000007:
p.000007: Installation of medical materials and equipment in public and private health-care establishments at different levels
p.000007: shall comply with the standards for such level of health-care services issued by the Ministry of Health.
p.000007:
...
General/Other / Relationship to Authority
Searching for indicator authority:
(return to top)
p.000014: Article 52. Collecting Fees for Services and Treatment
p.000014:
p.000014: Fees are charged for different medical documents such as medical records, medical certificates and health
p.000014: certificates.
p.000014:
p.000014: Service charges are collected for different services such as accommodation, meals and ambulance
p.000014: transport.
p.000014:
p.000014: Charges for the different medical procedures such as consultations, analyses, x-ray examinations,
p.000014: surgery, drugs, medical devices or other techniques make up treatment charges.
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 53. Administration and Use of Fees, Service Charges and Treatment Charges
p.000014:
p.000014: Administration of fees, service charges and treatment charges shall comply with the laws and regulations relating to
p.000014: the State budget.
p.000014:
p.000014: Chapter 6 Administration of Health-care Services
p.000014:
p.000014: Article 54. Administrative Agencies18
p.000014:
p.000014: The agencies responsible for the administration of health-care services consist of:
p.000014:
p.000014: • The Ministry of Health, at the central level;
p.000014: • Health divisions, at the provincial level;
p.000014: • Health offices, at the district level.
p.000014:
p.000014: In addition to the above agencies, the medical profession council is also a health-care administrative
p.000014: agency.
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014: 18 In the Lao language, the word roughly meaning “the entire organisation of responsible
p.000014: governmental agencies” is capable of being translated as any one of the following English words:
p.000014: “organisation”, “agency”, or “authority”. In choosing which English word to use, the translators have adopted the
p.000014: following convention. Where the governmental agencies in question have in practice adopted an English term
p.000014: for themselves (e.g., the Tax Authority), the translators have used that term. Otherwise, the translators have used the
p.000014: generic term “organisation” or, as in this law, “agency”.
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000014:
p.000015: 15
p.000015:
p.000015: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000015:
p.000015: Article 55. Rights and Duties of the Ministry of Health
p.000015:
p.000015: The Ministry of Health shall have the following rights and duties:
p.000015:
p.000015: 1. To conduct research on the policy and the strategic plan for the management of health-care
p.000015: services, for submission to the government for consideration19;
p.000015: 2. To draw up its own plan, programme of action and detailed projects, on the basis of the policies, plans
p.000015: and decrees adopted by the government, for active implementation;
p.000015: 3. To draw up and improve regulations and standards applicable to health-care services;
p.000015: 4. To supervise the professional organisations and monitor the implementation of health-care
p.000015: regulations and the Law on Health Care, to undertake evaluation and assessment, and to report to the government;
p.000015: 5. To suspend or cancel any decisions, orders, instructions and notifications of lower-level health-care
p.000015: administrative agencies that are contrary to the laws and regulations;
p.000015: 6. To consider and deal with the proposals of citizens and organisations relating to the quality
p.000015: and standard of treatment and the administration of health-care activities;
p.000015: 7. To build and train staff by providing them with knowledge, skills and behaviour that conforms to medical ethics;
p.000015: 8. To undertake research and to disseminate [knowledge of] medical science so as to ensure high quality and
p.000015: up-to-date medical treatment;
p.000015: 9. To issue health-care professionals with authorisations to practice;
p.000015: 10. To coordinate on the administration of health-care services with all parties concerned to ensure that
p.000015: the laws and regulations on health care are effectively implemented;
p.000015: 11. To cooperate with foreign countries and international organisations in creating
p.000015: favourable conditions for the administration of health-care services;
p.000015: 12. To exercise other rights and perform other duties prescribed by the laws.
p.000015:
p.000015: Article 56. Rights and Duties of the Health Divisions
p.000015:
p.000015: Each health division shall have the following rights and duties:
p.000015:
p.000015: 1. To draw up its own plan, programme of action and detailed projects for the administration of
p.000015: health-care services, on the basis of the policies, plans and decisions issued by the Ministry of Health;
p.000015: 2. To implement the policy and strategic plan for the administration of health-care services of the Ministry
p.000015: of Health, to undertake
p.000015:
p.000015:
p.000015: 19 The single Lao word translated as “consideration” connotes that the person considering a
p.000015: matter also has the authority to decide such matter.
p.000015:
p.000016: 16
p.000016:
p.000016: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000016:
p.000016: evaluation and assessment, and to report to higher authorities and the Ministry of Health;
p.000016: 3. To supervise the administration of health-care services by the district and municipal health offices;
p.000016: 4. To administer health-care services within its area of responsibility in order to provide quality treatment that
p.000016: conforms to standards;
p.000016: 5. To provide advice, disseminate information and encourage society to practice quality and safe health-care
p.000016: activities;
p.000016: 6. To monitor the advertising of health-care services by health-care professionals under its authority;
p.000016: 7. To consider the applications of individuals intending to practice as health-care professionals and submit
p.000016: them to the Ministry of Health for consideration;
p.000016: 8. To consider and deal with the proposals of citizens or organisations relating to the quality
p.000016: and standard of treatment and the administration of health-care activities ;
p.000016: 9. To coordinate on the administration of health-care services with all concerned sectors to ensure
p.000016: that the laws and regulations on health care are effectively implemented;
p.000016: 10. To exercise other rights and perform other duties prescribed by the laws and regulations.
p.000016:
p.000016: Article 57. Rights and Duties of Health Offices
p.000016:
p.000016: Each health office shall have the following rights and duties:
p.000016:
p.000016: 1. To implement the policies and strategic plans on the administration of health-care
p.000016: services issued by higher authorities;
p.000016: 2. To administer health-care services, to monitor the advertising [of health-care services] by health-care
p.000016: professionals under its authority, to undertake evaluation and assessment, and to report to its higher authorities;
p.000016: 3. To give advice and disseminate information to society on the practice of quality and safe health-care
p.000016: activities;
p.000016: 4. To consider the applications of persons intending to practice as health-care professionals and submit
p.000016: them for consideration by the provincial health division;
p.000016: 5. To consider and deal with the proposals of citizens or organisations relating to the quality
p.000016: and standard of treatment and the administration of health-care activities;
p.000016: 6. To coordinate on the administration of health-care services with all concerned sectors to ensure
p.000016: that the laws and regulations on health care are effectively implemented;
p.000016: 7. To exercise other rights and perform other duties prescribed by the laws and regulations.
p.000016:
p.000016: Article 58. Role of the Medical Profession Council
p.000016:
p.000016: The medical profession council shall act as the secretariat for the Ministry of Health in administering the
p.000016: activities of health-care professionals.
p.000016:
p.000016:
p.000017: 17
p.000017:
p.000017: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000017:
p.000017:
p.000017: The rights and duties of the medical profession council shall be determined by separate regulations.
p.000017:
p.000017: Chapter 7
p.000017: Inspection of Health-care Services Article 59. Inspection Agencies
p.000017: The health-care inspection agencies shall be the same agencies as the
p.000017: health-care administration agencies provided in Article 54 of this law.
p.000017:
p.000017: Article 60. Rights and Duties of the Inspection Agencies
p.000017:
p.000017:
p.000017:
p.000017: duties:
...
Orphaned Trigger Words
p.000006: assessment of the situation, advice and assistance.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 19. The Private Health-care System
p.000006:
p.000006: The private health-care system consists of private hospitals, medical clinics, physiotherapy practices,
p.000006: saunas, traditional massage practices and traditional medicine practices.
p.000006:
p.000006: Private hospitals, medical clinics, physiotherapy practices, saunas and traditional massage practices must possess
p.000006: medical facilities, staff, materials and equipment and employ procedures and technology in accordance with the
p.000006: regulations of the Ministry of Health.
p.000006:
p.000006: Article 20. Medical Clinics
p.000006:
p.000006: A health-care professional may have only one medical clinic, which he may neither rent out nor lend. If the authorised
p.000006: health-care professional of the medical clinic dies or is unable to practice, no other person shall use or
p.000006: practice in such medical clinic without prior authorisation of the Ministry of Health.
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000006:
p.000007: 7
p.000007:
p.000007: Translation Endorsed by the Law Committee of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 21. Medical Materials and Equipment
p.000007:
p.000007: Installation of medical materials and equipment in public and private health-care establishments at different levels
p.000007: shall comply with the standards for such level of health-care services issued by the Ministry of Health.
p.000007:
p.000007: Damaged materials or equipment, which cannot be repaired or whose period of use has expired, shall be removed in
p.000007: accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health.
p.000007:
p.000007: Chapter 3
p.000007: Rights, Duties and Ethics of Health-care Professionals Article 22. Rights and Duties of Health-care Professionals
p.000007: Health-care professionals shall have the following rights and duties:
p.000007:
p.000007: • To provide consultations;
p.000007: • To provide diagnoses;
p.000007: • To prescribe treatment;
p.000007: • To prescribe drugs;
p.000007: • To issue drugs;
p.000007: • To give medical advice and listen to the opinions and decisions of patients;
p.000007: • To provide nursing care;
p.000007: • To participate in the duty roster;
p.000007: • To give information to patients;
p.000007: • To maintain the confidentiality of patients;
p.000007: • To issue certificates of treatment11;
p.000007: • To take part in training and evaluation;
p.000007: • To exercise all other rights and perform all other duties in accordance with the laws and regulations.
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 23. Consultations
p.000007:
p.000007: Health-care professionals shall provide consultation to patients with high responsibility, expeditiousness
p.000007: and timeliness by using knowledge, experience, [and] intelligence, and by employing appropriate
p.000007: medical materials and equipment, scientific techniques and suitable technology to assist with the diagnosis.
p.000007:
p.000007: Article 24. Diagnoses
p.000007:
p.000007: Health-care professionals shall provide correct and precise diagnoses, [and] exercise due professional diligence by
p.000007: availing themselves of the data, the evidence of results of examinations, and different types of analysis,
p.000007: in order to determine the appropriate treatment and restore the patient’s health.
p.000007:
p.000007: 11 The translators are aware that a different, broader term “medical certificates” is used in Article
...
Appendix
Indicator List
| Indicator | Vulnerability |
|---|
| access | Access to Social Goods |
| age | Age |
| authority | Relationship to Authority |
| children | Child |
| criminal | criminal |
| disability | Mentally Disabled |
| disabled | Mentally Disabled |
| drug | Drug Usage |
| education | education |
| educational | education |
| emergency | Public Emergency |
| employees | employees |
| ethnic | Ethnicity |
| faith | Religion |
| family | Motherhood/Family |
| gender | gender |
| home | Property Ownership |
| ill | ill |
| language | Linguistic Proficiency |
| minor | Youth/Minors |
| nation | stateless persons |
| party | political affiliation |
| poor | Economic/Poverty |
| race | Racial Minority |
| religion | Religion |
| religious | Religion |
| single | Marital Status |
| socio-economic status | Economic/Poverty |
| unconscious | Unconscious People |
| unlawful | Illegal Activity |
| volunteers | Healthy People |
| women | Women |
Indicator Peers (Indicators in Same Vulnerability)
| Indicator | Peers |
|---|
| disability | ['disabled'] |
| disabled | ['disability'] |
| education | ['educational'] |
| educational | ['education'] |
| faith | ['religion', 'religious'] |
| poor | ['socio-economicXstatus'] |
| religion | ['faith', 'religious'] |
| religious | ['faith', 'religion'] |
| socio-economic status | ['poor'] |
Trigger Words
consent
developing
ethics
protect
protection
welfare
Applicable Type / Vulnerability / Indicator Overlay for this Input