Climate change impacts Lao PDR’s health sector by triggering more frequent and intense extreme weather events that damage health facility infrastructure – including water, sanitation, and hygiene services – and by creating conditions that increase the incidence of disease. With current adaptation gaps, Lao PDR will continue to suffer socioeconomically as climate and health challenges exacerbate each other. The interplay between health and climate issues means that there is a great need for more holistic climate-health solutions that can deliver results on both fronts and address the root causes of the issues they face. 

Save the Children Australia aims to enhance the climate resilience of the Lao PDR health system and strengthen community capacity to manage current and anticipated health impacts resulting from climate change. This will be achieved through multiple approaches, including strengthening health system leadership and governance at national and subnational levels, expanding health facility access to climate information and key WASH indicators to help track, prepare for, and manage climate-related risks to health, and strengthening health system capacity in 25 climate-vulnerable rural districts. The project will work directly with the Laotian health system and affected communities to address knowledge, capacity, and resource barriers, so Laotians can transform their own health and work toward climate-resilient development.