Laos: Foreign-run clinics to shut within months, official says (Vientiane Times) Medical clinics operated by foreigners in Laos, which are prohibited under the countrys laws and regulations, are set to be shutdown within months, according to a senior government official. Director General of the Healthcare Department under the Ministry of Health, Associate Professor Dr Chanphomma Vongsamphanh stated that the authorities in charge are finalising a document to get the foreign operators to sign that will see them agree on the remedial measures. “The signing is expected to take place at the end of this month,” he told Vientiane Times on Thursday. Once the document is signed, the foreigners will be given somewhere between one to two months to clear their businesses and quit the operations. “If they [the foreign operators] breach the warning, they will be fined,” he warned. And if the foreigners continue to infringe following the first fine, the second fine will be double the amount of the first fine, the director said, adding that officials will take action to inspect and follow up if the foreign operators observe the remedial measures. If a third infringement was detected, officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and police officers were required to take necessary action towards the shutdown of the clinics, Dr Chanphomma said. “These are all our expected measures, however, we will seek guidance from higher authorities,” he said. Foreigners are prohibited by relevant regulations and laws from operating medical clinics as the business is classed under a category reserved for Lao nationals. But many foreigners were reportedly operating the clinics, mostly in Vientiane by renting business licenses from Lao nationals. The ministry has threatened to revoke the licenses of the Lao nationals who lend the licenses to the foreigners as the practice contravenes the laws. Illegal operation of the foreign-run clinics has been reportedly occurring since a few years ago and officials in charge have struggled to regulate the issue. Officials admitted that there has been compromise when it comes to addressing this issue. While those lending the licenses to the foreigners are state officials, the foreign operators have also appealed for compromise to prolong their business operatiosn given that they have invested a lot of money. Dr Chanphomma pledged that stricter action will be taken to regulate the issue. Recently, the Healthcare Department issued an official notice to the Mass Media Department under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism seeking cooperation from the media and the removal of advertisements by foreign-run clinics. Radio and television stations were asked to remove advertisements of four foreign-run clinics namely – Vientiane-Beijing, Chongxan, China 104 and Tongfang(ตงฟาง東方). Dr Chanphomma stated that clinic operation is a career category reserved for Lao nationals. He said the situation is similar to other Asean member countries that have their own reserved careers. But foreigners are being encouraged to invest into developing big modern hospitals and healthcare centres in Laos. Dr Chanphomma said the facilities of the existing foreign-run clinics are not matched to the standards of modern hospitals. So far, the Ministry of Health has issued licenses to 1,041 private clinics across the country.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 23:11:23 +0000
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