Laos, Thailand deepen public health ties

BANGKOK, September 16 (TNA) - Laos and Thailand have inked an agreement on bilateral public health cooperation, the first accord between the two close neighbouring countries in more than 20 years, aimed to enhance public health cooperation between both neighbouring countries. Visiting Lao Health Minister Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bunkong Sihawong and Thai Public Health Minister Dr. Piyasakon Sakonsatayatorn jointly signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the public health cooperation during their meeting at the bilateral ministerial level on Friday. The Thai public health minister said the meeting is aimed to discuss vital public health problems in order to further develop joint operation mechanism of both neighbouring countries to become more concrete. The Thai minister told journalists that the new MOU paves the way for future cooperation and covers various issues, including preventing and control of communicable diseases and risk factors of non-communicable diseases, quality control of food and drugs and medical equipment, as well as exchange of information on public health and the registration of health products. Laos and Thailand previously signed a Minutes of Discussion on Public Health in March 1995. (TNA)