Laos first in ASEAN to receive ICM accreditation for midwifery training
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).
The college of health sciences in Luang Prabang (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – Laos has become the firstcountry in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be accreditedby the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) for meeting criteria setby its Midwifery Education Certification Programme (MEAP).
MEAP is based on international best practices serving thetraining and accreditation of the profession. Its goal is to evaluatepre-service midwifery education programmes against the ICM Global Standards.
MEAP is also a benchmark for midwifery educationprogrammes that seek to meet international standards, and Laos is the first countryin ASEAN to obtain such accreditation.
The accreditation decision was made in the second half of2022 following a visit to the colleges of health sciences in Champasak, LuangPrabang, and Xiengkhouang provinces. The institutes have met 35 out of a totalof 37 ICM standards, with only two partially fulfilled.
Dr Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health, said thethree colleges received their national accreditation last year, and their goalto achieve the MEAP status is also fulfilled.
For Laos, MEAP will help ensure consistency in midwiferyeducation and identify best practices and gaps for partners/implementers toprovide more focused, effective, and sustainable support for high-qualitymidwifery education, the official added./.
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The college of health sciences in Luang Prabang (Photo: VNA) 
