The poor

Khin Htar Kyu was in her late teens when she left her village in Irrawaddy Division’s Wakema Township with her younger sister to find work in Yangon to help her indebted family. Across Myanmar, there are tens of thousands of girls like Khin Htar Kyu who leave ...

A recent World Bank report says that trade growth in Myanmar could reduce poverty and boost prosperity, but local observers say in order for that to happen the government must implement economic policies that increase export markets. The Myanmar Diagnostic Trade Integration Study released last week by the ...

Xepon district in Savannakhet province and Toumlan district in Xekong province are the poorest districts in Laos with people living in extreme poverty, while pockets of poverty also exist in urban centres, according to a new report. At a seminar taking place in Vientiane from June ...

After a record dengue fever outbreak nationally and regionally last year, health officials say the number of cases so far this year have dipped. Yangon Region admitted the most patients, at 390, while Tanintharyi Region came in second, with 227 cases. Rounding out the top three ...

Poverty alleviation remains a main political task of the Central Highlands region, stated Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a working session with the Central Highlands Steering Committee in Dak Lak province on June 20. He suggested regional localities study and propose amendments to their specific ...

Difficulties accessing information about methods to prevent early pregnancies among young people means that there are still many unwanted pregnancies and high death rates among young mothers and their children. Access to information and health services is limited among young people in the country, particularly for ...

While economic growth and poverty reduction has been impressive, health outcomes improved and Millennium Development Goals 4, 5, 6 and 7 are on tract; Universal Health Coverage is still a major challenge. The symposium was held on 13 June in Vientiane and also attended by President of ...

The Lao Fresh Meats factory at Sivilay village in Naxaithong district, Vientiane, a Hungarian government assistance project, aims to boost food safety standards for domestic supply and export. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry received the first phase support of a Tied Aid Loan ...

Laos will need a draft regulatory framework to ensure proper licensing among healthcare professionals aimed at assuring the quality of healthcare treatment across the country, officials say. Director Cabinet of the Ministry of Health, DrNaoBoutta said on 9 June during a meeting in Vientiane that a draft ...

The United Nations Children’s Fund has committed to strongly supporting the Lao government’s efforts to improve the quality of education and healthcare as well as combat malnutrition problems in the country. Ms Hongwei Gao, UNICEF Lao PDR Representative stressed the importance of providing opportunities and a supportive ...