Our Response In response to the lack of medical care facing women and children, World Vision is partnering with local government and communities to provide access to healthcare and educate people on proper hygiene and basic health practices to reduce the risks of contracting illness. Health programs are also incorporated within water and agricultural projects to work towards alleviating malnutrition, especially among children. World Vision is working to recruit and train Villager Health Workers, Traditional Birth Attendants, and community volunteers within villages so pregnant women, the ill, and injured will have access to immediate basic care. World Vision is also working with government health staff to provide up-to-date training and essential medical equipment and supplies. Recognizing that the participation of women is critical to development, World Vision is working to ensure women are healthy and strong so they can contribute toward a better quality of life for their children and families. What are the challenges? Grass-roots level studies have demonstrated how severe the combined effects of early motherhood, poor hygiene practices, lack of awareness of basic nutrition and poor pre-natal, postnatal and early childhood care can be on a growing and developing nation. In addition, chronic lack of medicines, medical equipment and clinical skills dissuades women from seeking care for themselves or their children. While Lao PDR has made significant strides in recent years to reduce infant mortality and the number of women dying from childbirth, the country is still among the poorest in the region. Today, many women continue to be vulnerable to serious health issues such as nutritional deficiencies, and malaria. Women are especially in danger during child birth. Almost 89% of rural women deliver unattended by a health provider, usually due to the difficulty in accessing health services and the very poor quality of care that is available to those who do have access. In 2000, the maternal mortality ratio was 530 deaths per 100,000 live births. Maternal mortality in remote areas is often due to relatively minor complications which could be easily addressed if care was available. Children who survive birth are also exposed to considerable risk. Isolation, transport restrictions and logistical challenges, hamper the work of the district mobile teams in administering regular immunization services. The infant mortality rate under age five in Lao PDR is an alarming 91 out of 1000 live births. The rates are even higher in rural areas and remote provinces as compared to urban areas. Most of those children are dying from communicable diseases such as malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, dengue fever, measles, or meningitis. | 
