By Matthew Brady Laos’ Ministry of Health, working with the World Health Organization (WHO), has convened the country’s first high-level policy dialogue on artificial intelligence in health, followed by two days of technical workshops running to 16 July.
The event was chaired by Vice Minister of Health Dr Bounserth Keoprasith and WHO Representative to Lao PDR Dr Timothy Armstrong, and brought together senior government officials, technical experts, development partners and international specialists to discuss how AI could be applied responsibly to strengthen the country’s health system.
According to WHO, AI offers Laos a way to make better use of limited health resources, including support for health worker decision-making, more efficient disease surveillance, stronger health information systems and wider access to services. Realising these gains, the organisation noted, depends on governance, data quality, digital infrastructure, workforce skills and attention to ethics, privacy and equity.
The policy dialogue centred on the leadership and governance considerations needed for responsible AI adoption, with the subsequent workshops focused on practical applications, regional experience and priority use cases for the Lao context.
Dr Bounserth said AI could help address the country’s growing health needs and limited resources.
Dr Armstrong said the technology’s value lies in helping health workers make better decisions.
The programme included field visits to Vangvieng District Hospital and Mahosot Hospital, where organisers assessed digital health readiness and discussed practical opportunities and challenges with hospital managers and frontline staff.
The Ministry of Health and WHO said the dialogue was intended to build shared understanding among policymakers and health professionals of AI’s capabilities and limits, promote governance at national and institutional level, and identify use cases aligned with National Assembly health priorities.
Vishnu Narayan