Lao PDR Final Presentation

1. Lao PDR Final Presentation Ms. Khonesavanhvoralath Ms. ThirakhaChanyhalanouvong Ms. Kathleen Vosen

2. Vital Statistics and Civil Registration Is the vital statistics produced from Civil Registration? • There is no adequate civil registration system currently in place • In Lao PDR, statistical collection is carried out by LSB through Census (planned for 2015) and LSIS population survey 2011-2012.

3. Vital Statistics System Universal coverage • Administrative Record from different ministries, Ministry of Health also has its own reports and records. • Whilst there is some registration of births and issuance of birth statistics – this is not a universal vital statistics system. • Death is rarely registered properly – people prefer to die at home. Continuity • Each ministry provides an annual report to its own minister for use within ministry. This information is not necessarily shared. • There is no national official data, nor continuous registration of births and deaths.

4. Vital Statistics System Confidentiality? • Confidentiality has not been considered an essential part/priority of the a statistics system in the past. This will be improved and promoted when implementing the CRVS Strategic Plan is developed and implemented. Regular Dissemination • Dissemination occurs after Census and upon request. • Lao Statistics Bureau produced an annual report based on population projections based on census 2005. • Age, sex and region released upon request, but also based on population projection

5. Ministry of Health What is the role of health institutions in the system? • Ministry of Health: • collects its own statistical collection and analysis but this is not follow International Standard and not passed on to LSB. • undertakes ICD10 coding in Major hospitals but not in provincial areas. • provides birth notifications. • undertakes foetel death analysis, but data analysis indicates these records are not yet accurate.

6. Coordinating Body Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) is the coordinating body; takes role as civil registrar at the central level. An inter-ministerial Citizen Management Steering Committee (CMSC) has been established in 2013, led by MOHA. The CMSC includes seven line ministries: • Health, • Education • Sports, • Foreign Affairs, • Justice, • Public Security, and • Planning and Investment. The CMSC is responsible for inter-ministerial coordination, leadership in citizen administration, and policy-making.

7. Definitions Do the definitions of vital events in the vital statistics system comply with international standards? • Birth and Death definitions comply, however foetal deaths remains un-defined under the law. • MOH has defined foetal deaths in accordance with International standards, but this information is not shared with LSB or MOHA.

8. Topics Does the list of topics in the vital statistic system comply with internationally recommended core topics? • Core topics for Birth and Death statistics are covered (with exceptions noted below) • Foetal death is not covered at all. Note: • Migration status, date of birth of mother and father, occupation of mother or father is not covered, and educational attainment of both parents is not covered. • Place of occurrence of event is covered, but noted that for practical purposes this often is confused with Place of residence. • Whilst ask usual residence, do not ask if rural or urban.

9. Coverage and assessment What is the coverage of civil registration? How was the assessment been made/methodology • There is some coverage of civil registration but it is not adequate. • A Comprehensive Assessment (and report) was completed in 2012 that made recommendations for the way forward. The assessment was carried out through field-work, interviews with at least 70 key informants in 8 districts, 16 villages in Vientiane Capital and 3 provinces (north, central and southern Lao).

10. Quality Assessment As the vital statistics system is still being established there are no quality assessment methods being applied at this stage. Appropriate and cost effective assessment and assurance system will be identified during the development of the Strategic Plan. The quality assessment and assurance system will include: Coverage, correctness, availability and timeliness

11. Strategies for the future • Adopt recommendations from Comprehensive Assessment (2012) • identify gaps in comprehensive assessment • Develop a Strategic Plan and Framework • Consolidate Coordinating Mechanisms – ensure commitment from relevant ministries, in particular Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Security

12. Laws • Review of current legal framework– • to look at gaps; • any definitional issues, for example will need to include foetaldeaths as vital statistic. • Topics and themes will need to be adequately addressed • Draft implementation laws, if required • Also review other laws that refer to birth registration to ensure consistency • Adequacy re content of current laws and proposed new laws • Set out procedures, requirements using recommended Legal framework.

13. Activities for implementation • Training for government officials and stakeholders • Awareness raising for population – what is registration (to overcome current confusion) importance of registration, incentives (penalties??). Information dissemination: Regular radio program, TV programs • Increase access to registration - mobile registration units, digital registration, use available technologies • Civil registration Month (to tie in with festival activities. (International Children’s Day) • Mobile registration • Civil Registrars workshop and training courses provided. • Training health officials for accurate medical records and ICD10.

14. Thank you