Impacts of LASER PULSE capacity building project result in recognition and awards at a major academic conference in Laos

Cover photo: Hongkham Xayavong (Lao TPHI) presenting her team’s poster on the nutritional status of adolescent students in Lao PDR.

The LASER PULSE Applied Nutrition Research Capacity Building (ANRCB) project, which recently entered its 5th year, has as a long-term objective the strengthening of research capacity among colleagues in the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic. This capacity strengthening is approached, in part, through targeted training activities in the Lao Center of Nutrition, the University of Health Sciences, and the Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute. The project also supports Lao-based research activities by pairing young Lao researchers from these institutions with mentors from Purdue, Indiana University, and Cornell.

The US-based team recently made their fourth in-person visit to Laos in support of the ANRCB project. The visit, which was organized by the project’s in-country implementing partner CRS, included a full week of one-on-one work with project partners. Activities included a wrap-up of a series of Small Research Grants (SRGs) and an intensive writing workshop with SRG team members, with US-based mentors leading interactive sessions. The week of activities culminated in the group’s participation in the 3rd Lao Academic Public Health Conference, which carried the theme “Challenges and Achievements of the National Nutrition Strategy in Lao PDR.”

The project had a prominent role at the conference, with all SRG teams presenting their posters in the poster session.

Additionally, Dr. Gerald Shively, Purdue University, gave a keynote address on the ANRCB project entitled “Capacity Building for Public Health Nutrition Research in Lao PDR: Goals, Activities and Impacts of the Applied Nutrition Research Capacity Building (ANRCB) Project.”

The project also organized a Parallel Session on Nutrition in Adolescence, which was chaired by Dr. Khamtim Samountry, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, and was moderated by project member Dr. Nilupa Gunaratna, Associate Professor of Public Health, Purdue University (USA). Team member Dr. Ramya Ambikapathi, MHS PhD, Senior Research Associate Fellow, Department of Global Development, Cornell University (USA), served as a discussant and the two panel speakers were SRG project leads and collaborating partners Dr. Ketmany Ratsavong, from Lao TPHI and Dr. Vathsana Somphet, from UHS.

The conference was held at Souphanouvong University in Luang Prabang and was attended by more than 250 official participants and guests. The project and USAID sponsorship were highly visible and both the conference and the ANRCB participation were a very large success. The conference was even covered by a Lao television network!

Three of the project’s Lao partners from the University of Health Sciences who presented papers received recognition for their work in the oral presentation competition. Viengnakhone Vongxay won 1st place for his presentation entitled “An epidemiological survey on awareness of and access to diagnostic tests for HIV, TB and Malaria in a rural community of Savannakhet Province.” Vatsana Somphet won 2nd place for her presentation “Nutrition knowledge and dietary practices among urban adolescent girls in lower-secondary schools in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.” And Chandavieng Phimmasone won 3rd place for her presentation “Teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes towards teaching comprehensive sexual education in lower-secondary schools in Vientiane Capital and Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR.” The project is especially proud of this sweep of top prizes by our Lao partners!