The Institut de la Francophonie pour la Médecine tropicale (IFMT) in Lao PDR, a coalition consisting of the Lao Ministry of Health, regional, European and Canadian universities and international research centers, is engaged in a transformation process  into a regional  Center of Excellence for the Health of population living in tropical areas. The proposal will be submitted  by the Lao government to major donors in 2016 (funding 2017-27). A bridging fund from 2015 until 2017 is sought in order to maintain IFMT until the new institute will be fully supported.

The overall goal of the bridging fund 2015-2017 is 

1. to allow the Institute to continue its activities of training and providing services in neglected health areas to sub-groups of the population, particularly the most marginalized ones.
2. to prepare the necessary steps to support the Lao governement to request the main donors in 2016 to fund the up-coming Centre of Excellence for the health and well-being of populations living in tropical zones.

Health professionals of Lao PDR and countries of the Mekong sub-region, and ultimately, the sub-groups of the population of the Mekong sub-region less deserved by the public health system

Maintaining the teaching and training activities at IFMT for around 20 new health professionals per year (half from Lao PDR, half from the Mekong sub-region);

Accreditation of the current training curriculum provided at IFMT, by tropEd,the main accreditation body in the world for tropical medicine programs;

Development of continuous education programs to former IFMT students working in remote areas;

Secure the long term funding from the major donors of Health sector by the Lao Ministry of Health for the new Centre of Excellence.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• 15-20 post graduate students per year are trained Iin community health in rural context and get a degree recognized by an international accreditation body.
• a full proposal for a subregional Centre of Excellence in tropical medicine ready to be presented as a priority by the Lao governement to the table of donors in 2016.

Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)

Laval University, Pro Victimis, Mérieux and Sanofi

IFMT is closely working with several health researches in Laos (Institut Pasteur, IRD) and with numerous institutes and universities in Europe and Canada.

Phase 1 01.03.2015 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)