Primary health care in Laos

Year level: Upper secondary Learning Outcome Students will examine the Sayaboury primary health care project to identify the key factors in reducing maternal and child mortality rates (MDGs 4 and 5). Read the Case Study, Caring for mothers, caring for children. Locate Laos and the province of Sayaboury on a political and topographical map. Outline the ethnic, geographical, political and economic factors which affect development in Laos. Describe why maternal and infant mortality rates might be have been worse in Sayaboury before the project started. Examine the current health indicators for Sayaboury and Laos. Use the latest United Nations Human Development Report to find the relevant statistics for Australians. Create a graph of these results and describe the health status of the three populations. Describe the key elements of the Sayaboury primary health care program and how these contributed to improvements in maternal and child health. Outline how the NGO, Save the Children, and the Sayaboury provincial government worked together. What knowledge and skills did each group contribute to the project? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of a project involving more than one agency? How would this contribute to sustainable change? Compare the strategies implemented in Sayboury with the strategies used in your own community to optimise the health and development of under-fives and pregnant women. Account for the similarities and differences. Assessment Task: Write a brief report outlining the key elements of the project and how they contribute to health, human development and sustainability.