Setthathirath Hospital Reports Strong Progress in Personnel Development
Source: Vientiane Times
The management and staff at Setthathirath Hospital have made good strides in providing better quality healthcare, supported by the Ministry of Health, as well as taking steps to achieve autonomy through financial self-reliance, a top health official has said.
Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Phayvanh Keopaseuth made the comment when addressing attendees at the hospital’s annual meeting to review the work of the hospital in 2022 and plans for further progress in 2023.
The government has recommended that hospitals become self-reliant institutions while acknowledging that in order for them to function effectively and efficiently there must be deep and comprehensive transformation, not just changes in the way money are sourced, managed, and disbursed.
Dr. Phayvanh also advised the hospital to continue to pursue human resource development while further upgrading healthcare facilities and improving services by providing higher-quality treatment and making use of technological innovations.
He praised the hospital’s efforts to build the capacity of its staff, adding that in response to public needs, the hospital has followed the government’s policies on health sector reform.
The Director General of Setthathirath Hospital, Dr. Vangnakhone Dittaphong, said: “We plan to upgrade our emergency room services, out-of-hours examinations, and other areas of service that have the potential for expansion.”
He highlighted the successful efforts of health officials and medical staff, working with development partners, to improve healthcare and the capacity building and training of staff, including midwives and those working in other specialist fields.
For several years, the hospital has been in discussions with the University of Health Sciences, a hospital in Thailand, and a Japanese university regarding the use of medical equipment and staff capacity building.
A senior official from the Ministry of Health said that although the government has been able to uphold people’s right to healthcare in recent years and most people now have access to better quality health services, numerous challenges remain.
He advised the management of Setthathirat Hospital to raise awareness among doctors, nurses, and other staff about the importance of delivering quality healthcare to bolster patients’ faith in the system.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is continuing capacity building for doctors and nurses at central, provincial, and district hospitals as well as for staff working in dispensaries in local communities.
