Lao PDR Health Leader Presents Results from CapacityPlus Retention Tools

Last week, Dr. Chanthakhath Paphassarang, deputy chief of the Education and Training Division, Department of Organization and Personnel in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) Ministry of Health, presented results from country application of two CapacityPlus tools. The Ministry, with assistance from CapacityPlus and the World Health Organization (WHO), recently used the Rapid Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) Tool to understand health workers’ motivational preferences for working in rural areas and iHRIS Retain to cost the resulting incentive packages.

Dr. Paphassarang’s presentation was part of a parallel session at the 6th Annual Conference of the Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health, titled “HRH rural retention and motivation strategy.” Asmus Hammerich of the WHO/Lao PDR led the session with a broad overview of the actions and progress of the Lao PDR government to address health workforce retention over the last few years. Other panelists presented on experiences and lessons learned from efforts to address health worker retention in rural areas in Thailand and India.

The case study in Lao PDR substantiates that combining the Rapid DCE Tool with iHRIS Retain maximizes the powerful potential of the tools. The combination of selecting incentive packages based on health worker preferences and their likelihood of accepting a posting with an analysis of the most financially feasible options can result in an affordable, cost-effective retention package designed and owned by the country’s health leaders.

Photo by Wanda Jaskiewicz. (Dr. Chanthakhath Paphassarang making his presentation)

Related items:

• CapacityPlus Presents Retention Tools at AAAH Conference Side Meeting

• iHRIS Retain Used to Cost Health Worker Retention Incentives in Lao PDR

• Taking Steps to Retain Health Workers in Rural Areas of Lao People's Democratic Republic