Development Practice in Primary Health
Care: A Participatory Service and Education Model in Lao
Valerie Dzubur, RN MSN FNP-C
Samuel Merritt College
Oakland, California
USA
The provision of primary health care is basic to all societies. Although taken
for granted in industrial and post-industrial nations, it is not uncommon to
visit many localities where people with health needs remain un-served. There is
increasing recognition among Lao people that good health is critical to
appropriate development. Furthermore, where resources are scarce, service teams
can work with local people to meet needs in creative ways. The main point of
this paper is to demonstrate that health care needs can be taught and
administered without prolonged development implementation and/or extensive
funding. Moreover, in this case, international health care providers collaborate
with local practitioners to create conditions that can meet health needs in both
an educative and applied manner. In this participatory service model, a minimal
infrastructure was identified and used with partners to create the requisite
conditions for education and service. Examples are drawn from work with a local
free Sunday clinic in Vientiane and an orphanage in Luang Phrabang.