Laos first in ASEAN to receive ICM accreditation for midwifery training

The college of health sciences in Luang Prabang (Photo: VNA)

Vientiane (VNA) – Laos has become the first country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be accredited by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) for meeting criteria set by its Midwifery Education Certification Programme (MEAP).

MEAP is based on international best practices serving the training and accreditation of the profession. Its goal is to evaluate pre-service midwifery education programmes against the ICM Global Standards.

MEAP is also a benchmark for midwifery education programmes that seek to meet international standards, and Laos is the first country in ASEAN to obtain such accreditation.

The accreditation decision was made in the second half of 2022 following a visit to the colleges of health sciences in Champasak, Luang Prabang, and Xiengkhouang provinces. The institutes have met 35 out of a total of 37 ICM standards, with only two partially fulfilled.

Dr Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health, said the three colleges received their national accreditation last year, and their goal to achieve the MEAP status is also fulfilled.

For Laos, MEAP will help ensure consistency in midwifery education and identify best practices and gaps for partners/implementers to provide more focused, effective, and sustainable support for high-quality midwifery education, the official added./.

VNA