Inform'Asia:'USAID’s'Health'Research'program'Associate'Award'1:'Annual'Report'for'Lao'

The program aimed to improve health outcomes through evidence-based health research results that inform national health policy and programming. The objective of Associate Award 1 was to conduct scientific and operational research with regard to key populations, innovation design, health system strengthening, and the promotion of implementation science in Thailand and Lao PDR. The program description was revised and approved by USAID on June 1, 2016. Following the approval of the revised program description, the revised work plan was submitted on June 30, 2016, and received approval on July 8, 2016. The program goal was to contribute to Inform Asia's overarching program goal of "Improved health outcomes as a result of evidence-based health research results that are used to inform national health policy and programming." The program focused on several key activities, including the adaptation and implementation of the stigma and discrimination (S&D) assessment tool in Lao PDR. The S&D assessment tool was adapted, field-tested, and translated into Laotian. A training on data collection and data management was conducted by RIHES and CHAS, and data collection commenced following the training and lasted from April until May. Ongoing technical assistance was provided by RIHES to ensure the quality of the data collection and to address any issues that arose during the fieldwork. The preliminary data analysis and interpretation meeting was conducted by CHAS in July, and the dissemination meeting was initially scheduled to be organized in late August but had to be postponed to October 2016. The program also focused on strengthening technical collaboration between the Lao PDR and Thai governments to mitigate S&D in health care settings. The program achieved several milestones, including the development of an implementation plan, the adaptation and field-testing of the S&D assessment tool, and the translation of the tool into Laotian. The program also conducted a training on data collection and data management, and data collection commenced following the training. Ongoing technical assistance was provided to ensure the quality of the data collection and to address any issues that arose during the fieldwork. The program faced several challenges, including the need for ongoing technical assistance to ensure the quality of the data collection and to address any issues that arose during the fieldwork. The program also faced challenges in disseminating the results of the study, which was initially scheduled to be organized in late August but had to be postponed to October 2016. The program's geographic focus was on Lao PDR, and the program's timeframes were from September 1, 2015, to March 31, 2017. The program's implementation was led by RTI International, and the program's budget was managed by USAID. The program's results were presented in several exhibits, including Exhibit 1, which summarized the program's activities for Lao PDR, and Exhibit 2, which presented a summary of the results to date for Year 1. The program's management and administrative issues were addressed through regular meetings and communication between the program's stakeholders. The program's planned activities for the next reporting period included the dissemination of the study's results, which was initially scheduled to be organized in late August but had to be postponed to October 2016. The program also planned to continue providing technical assistance to ensure the quality of the data collection and to address any issues that arose during the fieldwork. The program's financial report was presented in Annex A, which showed the program's budget and expenditures for the reporting period. The program's financial report was prepared in accordance with USAID's financial reporting requirements, and the program's financial statements were audited by an independent auditor.