LAO FRIENDS HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN

Moving Child supports Friends without a Border the department for thalassemia and the educational program for child health since 2016 and 2019

Opened in 2015, the Lao Friends Children’s Hospital (LFHC) is the first of its kind in Laos; a hospital run by and for the people of Laos. It was and is financed entirely from foundation and donation funds and is independent of, but in constant exchange with, the state hospital in Luang Prabang.

Moving Child has been supporting the LFHC with annual financial donations since 2016. Initially, Moving Child supported the department for the treatment of thalassemia, an anemia caused by a malformation and increased breakdown of red blood cells. Thalassemia is a hereditary disease that occurs more frequently in northern Laos and, if left untreated, leads to developmental disorders, damage to the heart and lungs and enlargement of the spleen, which can have life-threatening consequences in children.

Since 2019, Moving Child has been particularly supporting the children’s health education program of the children’s hospital, which was initiated and is fully funded by Moving Child. This education program consists of two essential pillars: educating patients and training specialist staff. We were particularly fascinated by the sustainable concept of in-house teaching and educational events from the very beginning. The aim of the LFHC’s education program is primarily to strengthen the autonomy and independence of Laotian doctors and nursing staff.

“We were impressed by the motivation and commitment of everyone involved in this project. The independence that is being trained here, and therefore also the sustainability of this project, are exemplary and impressed us deeply.”

(Moving Child team)

The teaching program includes daily lectures and discussions on relevant topics, structured English lessons, exchange with international experts and is based on the learning-by-doing concept. This approach is reflected above all in the fact that international experts are allowed to teach and assist, but the work is carried out by the local doctors. The focus on teaching to teach is also particularly important: medical staff are trained not only to apply the knowledge they have acquired, but above all to pass it on to a new generation of future doctors. This is slowly reducing the influence and thus the dependence on international experts and promoting the independence of Laotian staff.

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Celebration of the 9th anniversary of the hospital

26.01.2024 marked the 9th anniversary and, as every year, we attended the celebrations. We can clearly see the progress the children’s hospital is making! In 2023, the LFHC treated a record number of over 40,000 children.

Since the beginning, Moving Child has helped to establish various departments that work very effectively and help children on a daily basis. An equally significant project that Moving Child has funded over the last four years is the specialist training for Lao doctors to become pediatricians. The hospital is now a training center for all future Laotian pediatricians!

The children’s hospital is increasingly becoming an institution that is indispensable. Children can be given a healthy future and the infant mortality rate, which is still very high, is falling! This is what our heart beats for and gives us the strength for our work.

Impressions from the hospital

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Video: Combating malnutrition

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8th birthday of the hospital

This is the 8th time we have taken part in the Friends without a Border children’s hospital’s anniversary celebrations. Each time we are deeply touched by the endless amount of work and passion that the doctors, nursing staff and all employees put into the project. Founder Kenro Izu and his management team in particular work tirelessly to ensure the continued existence of the hospital.

In the last year, after the previous seven years had been spent building up the 27 different departments, it is clear to see that the medical work is now starting to intensify. This is also due to the fact that Director Dr. Thomas Brune is working hard to place more emphasis on the Laotian doctors and nursing staff. This paves the way for the hospital to be run by them alone from 2030.
Around the celebrations, there are always very exciting discussions with donors and volunteers and the association chairmen from Japan and New York.

Video on the 5th anniversary of the hospital

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You can find information about our fundraising for the Lao Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang in our blog.

Website Lao Friends Children’s Hospital