Increasing Access to Care by Asking Health Workers What They Want

In Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), health workers are concentrated in cities while more than 80 percent of the population lives in rural areas. As in many countries, attracting health workers to rural posts—and retaining them—is a challenge.

“The conditions of living there [are challenging],” says Dr. Chanthakhath Papassarang, deputy chief of the Education and Training Division, Department of Organization and Personnel in the Ministry of Health, “and the environment for working is very poor.”

In the latest edition of CapacityPlus Voices, “Motivating health workers to serve in rural Lao PDR,” Dr. Papassarang, Dr. Phouthone Vangkonevilay, and Dr. Outavong Phathammavong share their insights and describe how the Ministry of Health has teamed up with CapacityPlus and the World Health Organization to assess health workers’ preferences using the Rapid Discrete Choice Experiment Tool.

By the end of the assessment and related costing work, says Dr. Phathammavong, “we will know the most appropriate incentive package for the health workers in Lao PDR.”

Related items:

• Motivating Health Workers to Serve in Rural Lao PDR

• Taking Steps to Retain Health Workers in Rural Areas of Lao PDR

• Improving Rural Retention of Health Workers in Lao PDR