Vientiane Province, 25 September 2026 – The Nutrition Data Analysis and Situation Update Workshop was held from 23–25 September 2026 at the Grand Riverside Hotel in Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province, bringing together more than 30 participants from relevant sectors at the central level and representatives from the six NIPN provinces.
The workshop was chaired by Mr. Latsavong Bounsiphome, Deputy Director of the Socio-Economic Policy Research Institute (SPRI), with Dr. Hari Vinathan, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, serving as co-chair.
The three-day workshop focused on strengthening the use of available data to update the nutrition situation in Lao PDR and in the six provinces participating in the National Information Platforms for Nutrition (NIPN).
A key activity of the workshop was to map and reviews available nutrition-related data sources that can be used to update the national and provincial nutrition profiles. Participants worked in groups, with central-level participants focusing on updating the national nutrition profile, while provincial participants worked on their respective provincial nutrition profiles and presentation materials
The provincial presentation materials are intended to support the dissemination of nutrition information at the provincial level, helping stakeholders better understand the current nutrition situation and use evidence to inform planning and decision-making.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for participants to agree on the next steps for continuing the work in each province. Following the workshop, provincial teams will continue collecting, reviewing and analysing relevant data and further develop their nutrition profiles and presentation materials. The teams are expected to reconvene in a subsequent workshop to review the materials, incorporate feedback and finalize the outputs.
During the opening and closing sessions, Mr. Latsavong Bounsiphome and Dr. Hari Vinathan highlighted the importance of strengthening the use of data and evidence in nutrition planning and decision-making. They also emphasized the need to maintain the momentum and objectives of NIPN beyond the official completion of the NIPN project in 2026, ensuring that the knowledge, data systems and analytical capacity developed through the initiative continue to support nutrition-related planning and policy in Lao PDR.
The workshop marked another step toward strengthening collaboration among central and provincial stakeholders and ensuring that reliable, up-to-date nutrition data are available and used to support better-informed decisions for nutrition and development in the country
