Dr Sonexay Rajvong (right) and a representative of Thailand’s Ramathibodi Hospital display agreements on cooperation in kidney transplant surgery. - VT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): Hospital managers from Laos and Thailand have agreed to partner in the provision of general health services and kidney transplants at Mittaphab Hospital in Vientiane.
The partnership marks a new chapter in Lao healthcare and in cooperation between Mittaphab Hospital and Thailand’s Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital.
The Director of Mittaphab Hospital, Dr Sonexay Rajvong, and a representative of Ramathibodi Hospital signed an agreement on the partnership on Tuesday (Oct 3).
Under the agreement, the two sides will carry out kidney transplants at Mittaphab Hospital, set up a joint laboratory, and arrange symposia, workshops, seminars, meetings and conferences to support future kidney transplants at the Lao hospital.
The two parties will also share specialists to carry out kidney transplants. They agreed to report the results of discussions and areas of collaboration to their respective authoritative bodies in order to obtain future support for kidney transplants.
The two sides agreed to have further detailed discussions and draw up Memorandums of Understanding on each agreed area of cooperation.
Dr Sonexay said that under the current agreement, specialists from Mahidol University would teach medical staff at Mittaphab Hospital about kidney transplants and health officials and Lao participants would share their experiences in the field of kidney transplants.
“We look forward to working with Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital to build our capacity and knowledge of technical medicine in relation to kidney transplants and related fields, especially as these fields continue to develop daily.”
“Many kidney patients in Laos do not receive the best treatment and have poor recovery and survival rates because the capabilities for treating this condition are limited,” he added.
A Memorandum of Understanding on collaboration between the National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, and Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand, was signed in 2017, according to Ramathibodi Hospital.
Hospital staff will continue to cooperate in development and training programmes because expertise in Laos is currently limited.
For several years, Mittaphab Hospital has been in discussions with several of Thailand’s medical universities and a Japanese university regarding the use of medical equipment and specialised training for nurses and doctors.
