Vientiane, Aug 28 : Laos is stepping up efforts to combat widespread micronutrient deficiencies by launching a large-scale rice fortification initiative aimed at improving national nutrition and public health.

Representatives from the Lao Ministry of Health, development partners and other stakeholders gathered in the national capital on Thursday for a national workshop on rice fortification to advance standards and nutrition security in Laos, Lao News Agency reported.

Rice fortification offers a cost-effective solution to address iron deficiency anaemia, which affects around 40 per cent of women of reproductive age and 44 per cent of children under five nationwide, Xinhua News Agency reported.

These deficiencies can cause fatigue, impaired learning, stunted growth, and birth defects such as neural tube disorders in pregnant women. In 2020 alone, anaemia-related health issues resulted in economic losses exceeding $241 million, said the report.

To tackle this issue, Laos launched a national rice fortification project in early 2025. As rice is the staple food in Lao diets, it serves as an ideal vehicle for fortification. Fortified rice looks and tastes like regular rice but is enriched with essential vitamins and minerals crucial for health and development.

The Ministry of Health is leading the government's efforts to integrate fortified rice into the national food system, with technical support from development partners.

The Lao government and the United Nations World Food Program are working together to develop national rice fortification standards and a regulatory framework. These measures will ensure the safe and consistent production of fortified rice, while also guiding scaling up and building public trust through quality assurance.

The national workshop marks the beginning of the consultation process for setting these standards and lays a strong foundation for long-term improvements in nutrition and health across Laos.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is partnering with development partners to improve access to rehabilitation services and strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers in Laos.

The initiative aims to improve access to rehabilitation medical services and strengthen the capacity of healthcare personnel in Laos, with a particular focus on the rehabilitation medicine centre in northern Laos' Oudomxay province.

The project will provide free, high-quality services to people with disabilities, invalids, and the elderly across the northern provinces, according to a report from the ministry's Centre of Information and Education for Health on August 25.

The project also aims to enhance the skills and expertise of rehabilitation medical personnel, upgrade infrastructure at both the central rehabilitation medicine centre and its provincial branches to meet safety standards, and equip facilities with modern medical and production equipment.

/IANS