Nationwide, with a focus on urban and border areas for HIV/AIDS prevention and STI treatment and rural areas for malaria prevention.

HIV/STIs: Most at-risk populations, including female sex workers (FSW) and their clients, mobile populations and men who have sex with men (MSM).

Malaria: Women and children under five in malaria-endemic regions.

Episodes of malaria averted: 23,000 (explained)

Unintended pregnancies averted: 45,000 (explained)

Number One.com strawberry scented and dotted male condoms launched in 2007

1-STOP pre-packaged STI treatment since 2006

PowerNet long-lasting insecticide treated net since 2006

Number One Deluxe Plus two male condoms packaged with 2 sachets of lubricant since 2006

Number One Deluxe male condoms since 1999

Local partners include the Lao Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Transportation and Post, Center for HIV/AIDS and STIs, Provincial Committee for the Control of AIDS, Laos Mass Media, Center for Malaria, Parasitology and Entomology, Lao Women's Union, Burnet Institute, Family Health International, Medecins Sans Frontiers, and the World Health Organization.

The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Lao Ministry of Health

The Nam Theun 2 Authority

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

HIV/AIDS and MALARIA

In Lao, 85% of the population lives in rural areas prone to high malaria infection rates. In 2001, PSI/Lao joined the national campaign to combat malaria — the leading killer of children under five. PSI/Lao launched SupaTab, an insecticide re-treatment tablet for mosquito nets, in April of 2002 as a pilot project to complement ongoing communications campaigns. Between 2003 and 2005, the project expanded nationwide. In 2006, PSI discontinued the sale and distribution on SupaTab, as it was found that villagers preferred to use Long-lasting Insecticide Treated nets (LLINs), which do not require re-treatment. Thus, in 2006, in close collaboration with the Lao Center for Malaria, Parasitology and Entomology, PSI/Lao launched PowerNet, a long-lasting insecticide-treated net, to meet the growing demand for easy-to-use, effective malaria prevention products.

Clinic-Based Training
In 2006, PSI/Lao introduced 1-STOP, pre-packaged male STI treatment kits, to complement the STI management efforts of the national health authorities. In addition to launching the STI kit, PSI's sexual and reproductive health technical advisors conducted trainings on the management of STIs for clinic-based medical doctors in Vientiane. To raise awareness and create informed demand, PSI developed edutainment shows performed at popular venues such as nightclubs, karaoke bars, pubs, and restaurants where at-risk groups are known to frequent. PSI-trained doctors have become the focal point for a medical network intended to provide high-quality health services as well as PSI products to a wide variety of at-risk males.

Targeting High-Risk Groups
PSI/Lao targets behavior change communication campaigns at the following high-risk groups: FSWs, clients of FSWs, MSM and mobile populations. Using mass media and interpersonal communication, PSI/Lao disseminates critical information through Mobile Educational Entertainment Teams (MEET) which perform on buses along well-traveled routes and a mobile video unit that brings programming to key provinces. A PSI/Laos workplace peer education team visits the Nam Theun 2 hydro-electrical dam project monthly to reach construction workers and their families. Building upon the interest of participants, PSI/Lao trained 101 peer educators among the workers who live in the camps to serve as informed and empowered leaders in their community. In 2006, after close collaboration with local authorities, PSI/Lao established two male health centers, branded Peuan Mai (“New Friends”), where at-risk males and their partners can access quality sexual health services, including STI treatment with the 1STOP kit. Additionally, PSI operates Peuan Mai peer outreach programs in three provinces. Since opening in 2006, Peuan Mai programs have reached more than 5,000 at-risk MSM.

Research
In 2005, PSI/Lao surveyed more than 620 FSWs to find the determinants of condom use among this target population in the four largest urban areas. A follow-up survey will take place in December 2007 to measure the effect of PSI/Lao programs in relation to the determinants and to adjust behavior change communications activities accordingly.

Since the 2004 launch of Project MAP (Measuring Access and Performance), PSI/Lao has collected four rounds of data on the coverage, quality of coverage, and equity of access to social marketing products at outlets frequented by high-risk groups across nine provinces.