Annual Report 2025
Report of the Executive Board to the 2026 Annual General Meeting
The Swiss Laos Hospital Project (SLHP) aims to improving healthcare in Laos, particularly for mothers and children. To this end, it supports local hospitals by providing medical and organisational expertise as well as financial contributions.
This annual report provides an overview of the association’s activities during the calendar year 2025.
Operational framework
The two key frameworks governing our activities are, on the one hand, the strategy set out by the Executive Board and, on the other, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Laotian authorities. Both were revised and renegotiated in 2024 and remain valid until 2028. Consequently, the framework conditions remained essentially unchanged during the reporting year. However, it became apparent in 2025 that the Laotian authorities have become significantly more restrictive in issuing visas, both in terms of the number of visas and the application process. This poses a serious problem for our volunteer organisation and could mean that we are unable to carry out all the projects agreed in the MoU to the extent planned. The Board is holding discussions with the Laotian authorities on this matter; however, these had not yet been concluded by the end of the year. Furthermore, the revised Articles of Association were adopted at the 2025 Annual General Meeting. The primary aim of the revision was to simplify certain processes and bring them into line with current practice. The association’s purpose was formulated in more general terms (without, however, changing it in principle) and the task of drawing up the strategy was explicitly assigned to the Executive Board.
Board of Directors
The summer months of 2025 were marked by the resignation of our President, Alphons Schnyder. Due to differing views on strategic and operational issues within the Board of Directors, he unexpectedly stepped down from his position shortly after his reelection by the Annual General Meeting on June 2, 2025, and consequently left the Board of Directors.
The Board deeply regrets this resignation and thanks Alphons Schnyder for his great dedication over the past two years, particularly for the further development of the strategy, the establishment of the coordination office in Laos, and the renegotiation of the Memorandum of Understanding.
The remaining Executive Board reconstituted itself at an extraordinary meeting on July 9, 2025. At that meeting, it appointed long-time Vice President Marion Mönkhoff as President and existing Board members Nathalie Brunner and Martin Sauter as Vice Presidents (ad interim until the elections at the 2026 Annual General Meeting). In this way, the Board was able to successfully navigate the transition phase and quickly return to its operational duties.
In the middle of the year, Hans Ulrich Bucher — who had continued to provide significant support to the Board as Past President — stepped down from his remaining duties for personal reasons. The Board extends its heartfelt thanks to him for his tremendous dedication and his competent, prudent work, which have contributed significantly to the functioning of our association. We are glad to know that he will continue to serve as an advisor behind the scenes.
During the reporting year, the Board of Directors consisted of the following individuals (in alphabetical order):
- Toni Berthel (Psychiatry)
- Nathalie Brunner (Family Medicine, Vice President ad interim as of July 9, 2025)
- Stefanie Huggle (Gynecology and Obstetrics)
- Marion Mönkhoff (Neonatology, Vice President, Acting President as of July 9, 2025)
- Claudia Reichmuth (Neonatology, Nursing)
- Martin Sauter (IT/Communications, Acting Vice President as of July 9, 2025)
- Stefanie Schmucki (Finance)
- Alphons Schnyder (Hospital Management, President until June 11, 2025)
- Christine Zehntner (KSW–Phonsavan)
The Board primarily communicated via email. It held meetings on April 1, 2025, July 9, 2025, and September 23, 2025, as well as a video conference on December 15, 2025.
In addition to coordinating between the specialist groups and liaising with the Laotian authorities, the Executive Board focused primarily in the second half of 2025 on fundraising and drafting documents for our volunteers (organizational regulations, employee agreement, code of conduct), which are scheduled to be introduced in early 2026.
Members
The number of association members remained stable in 2025. We currently have 154 members.
Finance
Due to declining donation revenues, the Board had already decided at the end of 2024 to establish a fundraising working group. This working group held seven meetings via videoconference in 2025.
The focus of their work was on researching suitable foundations and drafting funding applications. To this end, various documents required by the foundations had to be prepared. Our website www.swisslaos.ch was also updated for this purpose. As in previous years, a donation flyer was printed and sent to nearly 1,000 addresses.
Although it would be premature to speak of a turnaround, our fundraising efforts have begun to bear fruit: The donation revenue budgeted for 2025 was slightly exceeded (see annual financial statements).
However, our search for a specialist to volunteer as fundraising manager has not yet been successful.
ZEWO Recertification
The Swiss Laos Hospital Project has been ZEWO-certified since 2018. This seal of approval distinguishes non-profit organizations that use donations in a targeted, economical, and effective manner. It is an important element of our fundraising efforts.
Since the certification is valid for only five years, we applied for recertification, which was successfully completed in the summer of 2025. The SLHP is thus authorized to use the ZEWO seal of approval until the end of 2028. In this context, we also had to register our association in the commercial register.
Annual Meeting 2025
The Annual Meeting took place on June 2, 2025, at the Zurich-Riesbach Community Center.
The main agenda items were:
- Annual Report 2024 (including the Global Strategy 2024–2028 and the Memorandum of Understanding 2024–2028)
- Financial Statements 2024 (including audit report)
- Budget 2025
- Revision of the Articles of Association
- Election of new board members Alphons Schnyder (President), Marion Mönkhoff (Vice President), Stefanie Huggle, Claudia Reichmuth, and Toni Berthel, as well as the auditors
For details, please refer to the minutes of the annual meeting, which is distributed to all association members.
Members’ Forum 2025
At the annual general meeting, several members expressed a desire to discuss our association’s strategy and projects in greater depth and to help shape them.
The Executive Committee therefore organised a Members’ Forum on 25 September 2025 at the Erlengut in Erlenbach, Zurich. The members present and the Board of Directors held a lively discussion on various topics. However, the number of participants fell short of expectations.
Volunteer assignments
In 2025, 75 specialists from Switzerland completed a total of 979 days of service in Laos (including 34 KSW staff members who contributed a total of 360 days).
In addition, at least 1,650 hours of work were carried out in Switzerland.
All these volunteers deserve special thanks for their voluntary work, on which the entire work of the SLHP is based.
| Working group | People | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Neonatology / Paediatrics | 12 | 192 |
| Gynaecology / Obstetrics | 15 | 200 |
| General practitioners | 6 | 84 |
| Hospital Management | 1 | 70 |
| Psychiatry | 7 | 73 |
| KSW – Phonsavan | 34 | 360 |
| Total | 75 | 979 |
Neonatology
83 midwives, nurses and doctors from across Laos took part in the perinatal workshop in Vientiane.
Vientiane
A highlight of 2025 was the perinatal workshop organised jointly in March by our two working groups on neonatology and gynaecology/obstetrics. Gynaecologists, midwives, neonatologists and nursing staff from all our partner hospitals in the provinces travelled to the Mother and Newborn Hospital (MNH) in Vientiane for two days.
Together with the 83 participants in total, we worked on key topics relating to childbirth in an interdisciplinary manner. During the event, both experts from our working groups and our Laotian colleagues delivered various presentations. The atmosphere was excellent, with many lively discussions and an intensive professional exchange. Furthermore, many valuable contacts were established between the various provincial hospitals, meaning that this workshop not only promoted collaboration between obstetrics and neonatology, but also between the individual hospitals.
The medical technology company Kanya Mittaphab, with whom we have been collaborating for years on blood gas analysers, among other things, has now taken over the representation of Dräger in Laos. This opens up new opportunities for us to collaborate in the area of support and maintenance within neonatal departments, which will significantly strengthen this speciality in Laos.
In the neonatal unit in Vientiane, a Laotian nurse is learning how to care for premature babies.
Also in March, our shipping container from Switzerland finally arrived in Vientiane after a major delay. As most of our team had already set off on their journey home, Emanuela Erzinger, Julia Mönkhoff and student Lena Supe unloaded the container together with our Laotian colleagues and organised the onward transport of equipment and materials to the individual hospitals.
Our paediatric physiotherapist, Daniela Hotz, once again spent two weeks this year supporting the Wellchild Clinic at the MNH. The focus here was on supporting and promoting the development of premature babies and children experiencing difficulties in the early stages of life.
Furthermore, our team delivered various practical and theoretical training sessions and conducted teaching rounds in the MNH’s neonatology department. There was also an intensive exchange with the hospital management regarding the long-term direction of this department. The Laotian side is keen to expand the neonatology department and make greater use of it as a training centre.
During our missions in Vientiane and Luang Nam Tha, we were once again accompanied by technician Jan Woodtli, who not only repaired many pieces of equipment himself but also trained the local technicians.
Our paediatric physiotherapist is consulting with a paediatrician on matters relating to developmental paediatrics.
Luang Nam Tha
In Luang Nam Tha, we were able to launch another major project this year: with the support of the SLHP, a combined paediatric and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU/PICU) is being built there. Although this will not create an intensive care unit by Swiss standards, it will provide an intermediate care unit, which represents a significant step forward for the hospital in Luang Nam Tha.
Following intensive negotiations regarding the location, size, functionality and costs, the plans for the building and the interior design were drawn up with architect Chantavone Sivila and his team at Lao+ Architecture. Also involved was architecture student Julia Mönkhoff, who completed a four-week internship there.
Instead of simply extending the existing building, it was decided to construct a new building – this will also provide more space for the paediatric ward, which is currently far too small. The ground-breaking ceremony took place at the end of November.
Construction work on the new paediatric and neonatal intensive care unit has begun at Luang Namtha Hospital.
At Luang Namtha Provincial Hospital following a training on infant resuscitation.
Savannakhet
Following the perinatal workshop in Vientiane in March, Emanuela Erzinger and Thomas Brune implemented the topics covered there in the new perinatal department at Savannakhet Provincial Hospital.
In November, a five-day local workshop took place there with Marika Brune and our obstetrics team. This focused on interdisciplinary perinatal collaboration. The contributions of the guest lecturers from Luang Prabang, who taught alongside us, were greatly appreciated. Staff from the provincial hospital in Pakse also took part in this workshop.
In addition, we conducted various training sessions on neonatal topics such as neonatal resuscitation, breastfeeding support, neonatal monitoring, organisation and hygiene.
Sam Neua
Together with Douang Baumann, nurse Pascale Widmer undertook a further teaching placement in the neonatal unit at Sam Neua Provincial Hospital. This followed on from her long-term placement from November 2023 to April 2024. During bedside teaching sessions, she revisited the topics covered at that time, focusing in particular on respiratory support and the practical use of CPAP machines.
Sayabouli
Laila Forster and Keoudom, a nurse at the Mother and Newborn Hospital in Vientiane, spent a week supporting the neonatology department at Sayabouli Provincial Hospital in the care of premature and newborn babies.
Gynaecology and Obstetrics
In keeping with Laotian tradition, our contribution to the perinatal workshop in Vientiane was honoured with a ceremony.
The year 2025 began with a highlight for the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Working Group in March: together with the Neonatology Working Group, a workshop on perinatal medicine (healthcare for mother and child shortly before and after birth) was held at the Mother and Newborn Hospital in Vientiane.
We were delighted to welcome 83 participants from all over Laos to this workshop. Over two days, we discussed with our Laotian colleagues ways to strengthen collaboration between obstetrics and neonatology, thereby improving the care of high-risk births and vulnerable newborns.
Such interdisciplinary collaboration is still largely unknown in Laos. This made it all the more exciting and rewarding to see how keenly our Laotian colleagues engaged in discussions with us and frequently showed an openness to new approaches and ways of thinking. Special thanks go to Uwe Kullmer for his extensive organisational work in the preparation of the event.
At Phonsavan Hospital, our gynaecologists conducted an intensive ultrasound training session.
Following this workshop, gynaecologists Roswitha Hausdorf, Stefanie Huggle and Richard Fürpasz visited hospitals in Pakse, Savannakhet and Phonsavan. They were accompanied by several colleagues who were visiting Laos for the first time. The group provided training on pregnancy emergencies as well as the treatment and prevention of infections, and conducted intensive ultrasound training in all the hospitals.
In November, work on perinatal medicine continued at Savannakhet Provincial Hospital. Uwe Kullmer, midwife Franca Rüegger and neonatologist Thomas Brune organised a five-day perinatal workshop here too, focusing on practical exercises, the exchange of experiences and the joint development of knowledge. The Laotian training system is characterised by lecture-style teaching, and so we were able to provide fresh impetus with this new approach to learning, which was very well received by all those involved.
During two visits to both the Mother and Newborn Hospital in Vientiane and the provincial hospital in Pakse, Wolfgang Zieger was able to continue the work he began in 2024 in the field of laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). This technically complex surgical method, which is, however, gentle on patients, is still in its infancy in Laos. Franco Salsano, who travelled to Laos for the first time in December on behalf of the SLHP, built on Wolfgang Zieger’s work at both hospitals.
To mark our departure, the midwives at Phonsavan Hospital organised a farewell dinner for our team.
The Gynaecology and Obstetrics Working Group has also awarded further scholarships. Since autumn 2025, it has been supporting midwife Chan Boudtavong in her master’s degree studies in Vientiane and has funded the participation of several doctors in international conferences in Asia.
HIV Project
For many years, the SLHP has been supporting the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) project at the Mother and Newborn Hospital (MNH) in Vientiane. Its aim is to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to their children during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
The year 2025 was marked by profound upheavals and uncertainties: the massive cuts to USAID funding and the planned closure of the UNAIDS programme from 2027 onwards are jeopardising progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Laos. The effects of this decision are already becoming apparent, for example through supply shortages of HIV tests, which the hospital obtains via the Laotian national office CHAS (Centre for HIV/AIDS and STDs).
This makes it all the more important that we continue to support our dedicated colleagues at the MNH, so that every pregnant woman and her family members can be tested for HIV and, in the event of infection, receive treatment and psychosocial support. Within the SLHP, we have therefore expanded the working group overseeing the PMTCT project: It now comprises specialists from the fields of infectious diseases, gynaecology and obstetrics, including Nathalie Brunner and Sophie Mathys (GPs) as well as Elisabeth and Nina Lebeda (gynaecology/obstetrics). This dedicated support secures the future of this vital project for families in Vientiane living with HIV.
Internship for Bachelors in Medicine
In 2025, 13 trainee doctors (all of whom were female this year) from Switzerland again completed a one-month internship at the Mother and Newborn Hospital in Vientiane. They were each assigned to the outpatient clinic for antenatal check-ups, the delivery theatre and the neonatal unit. The decrease compared to the previous year (18 internships) is due to the new MoU. In total, we received 28 applications.
General practitioners
Joint ward round at the outpatient clinic of Nong Het District Hospital.
In 2025, five female specialists and one male specialist worked in two teams, each spending 14 days at the district hospitals in Muang Kham and Nong Het.
The first deployment in February, involving Sonia Frick, Elisabeth Bandi-Ott, Paloma Wyss and Samantha Dervichian, focused on training in internal medicine and the expansion of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examinations, which enable rapid, symptom-based diagnosis in emergency situations.
Ultrasound training at Nong Het District Hospital delivered by our team of GPs.
The second visit in October, featuring Marco Zoller and Sophie Mathys, focused on Continuing Medical Education (CME): qualified specialists returning to their home hospitals after several years of specialist training are supported in the structured transfer of their knowledge to younger colleagues. In particular, the aim is to establish structures – similar to those in Swiss hospitals – that firmly integrate knowledge transfer into daily practice through weekly case presentations and on-site training sessions. CME is a project on which the group of general practitioners has been working continuously for several years to establish regular on-site training sessions. In October 2025, for example, all training sessions were organised and delivered directly by the specialists working in Muang Kham.
A key element of both missions was the delivery of the tried-and-tested Health Centre Teaching programme. As part of this, medical staff from the surrounding health centres are invited to the district hospital for two-day workshops. In this format, current issues from everyday medical practice in the health centres are addressed collectively – through case discussions, demonstrations and teaching sessions.
The continuity of this approach is proving effective: diagnosis and triage by the specialists in the health centres is improving year on year. Furthermore, the teaching sessions strengthen the networking of specialist staff who often work in isolation, which is reflected in an increased exchange of professional knowledge.
Every year, the Muang Kham District Hospital organises training courses for medical staff from the affiliated health centres.
Furthermore, the General Practitioners’ Group once again awarded scholarships for further training and professional development to healthcare professionals in 2025:
- 1 scholarship for specialist training in general practice (3rd year)
- 3 scholarships for female doctors (6 months each, focusing on diabetes and anaesthesia)
- 1 scholarship for a nurse (6 months, focusing on diabetes)
You can find a profile of one of our scholarship recipients on our website (available in German only).
Senior physician Dr Phontip has been one of our key contacts at Muang Kham District Hospital for many years.
Hospital Management
In 2025, Alphons Schnyder undertook three assignments in Laos and also held various online meetings with Laotian partners from Zurich.
Participants in the hospital management training at Champasak Provincial Hospital with Hospital Director Dr Khamsing Keothongko (centre).
Working closely with the Laotian Minister of Health, he continued to deliver management and leadership training to the senior staff of the five central hospitals and representatives from ten provincial hospitals, with 30 participants at each session. The training covered an introduction to hospital management, the provision of leadership guidelines, and expertise in financial management and human resources management.
He also contributed to the further development of the concept of hospital autonomy and the integration of ten provincial hospitals into this process. The aim is for the pilot hospitals to act with greater autonomy. As part of the autonomy process, Laotian regulators are allowing the pilot hospitals to make independent decisions regarding the allocation of resources and hospital organisation in order to improve the quality of patient care. This autonomy process has been extended to the provincial hospitals in Champasak, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Savannakhet, Xiengkhuang, Vientiane, Khammouan, Borikhamxay, Xayaboury and Bokeo.
In February 2025, a meeting was held with the Minister of Health, H.E. Dr Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, to launch the autonomy process in the provincial hospitals. Participants included the directors of the ten provincial hospitals that will be taking the first steps towards autonomy, as well as the directors of the five central hospitals that have already successfully implemented pilot measures over the past three years.
In October 2025, representatives from the ten provincial hospitals in Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Champasak and Xieng Khouang received training on how to implement autonomy in practice.
Meeting with Health Minister Baikham Khatthyia, Prof. Mayfong Mayxay and directors of the Ministry of Health.
In November 2025, a meeting took place with the newly elected Laotian Director of Health, H.E. Ms Baikham Katthiya. In addition, Alphons Schnyder held meetings with the management teams of the five central hospitals to monitor the implementation process and plan measures for 2026.
Psychiatry
The management of the Mental Health Unit at Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane.
Adult Psychiatry
From 7 to 29 November 2025, a team of four psychiatrists – Toni Berhel, Emilio Bolla, Sebastian Haas and Valeska Jasinky – was on assignment in Laos. In Phonsavan (Xieng Khouang Province), the eight members of the newly established Mental Health Group received five days of further training in psychiatric diagnosis as well as therapeutic and pharmacological treatment approaches. At the same time, they were able to jointly assess patients on site and discuss treatment recommendations.
The Mental Health Group at Xieng Khouang Provincial Hospital in Phonsavan.
At Savannaketh Provincial Hospital, 42 doctors and nurses were trained in counselling, psychiatric diagnosis and treatment approaches. Over five days, role-plays were used to practise counselling techniques, assessment, diagnostic principles and therapeutic approaches.
At Thakhek Provincial Hospital, too, we were able to train 44 medical and nursing staff in the fundamentals of psychiatry over the course of a working week. The participants were able to apply what they had learnt in practice using the patients they presented.
Thanks to a scholarship from the SLHP, a Laotian doctor is being trained as a psychiatrist in Thailand. This enables us to develop expertise in psychiatry and mental health in Laos in the long term. In addition, an exchange took place with a representative of the Department of Health.
Participants in the 5-day psychiatry training course at Savannaketh Provincial Hospital.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
In October 2025, Maurizia Franscini and Dagmar Pauli conducted a week-long training course in Vientiane. Over five days, more than 50 staff members from Mahosot Hospital, the Children’s Hospital and other nearby hospitals received training in child and adolescent psychiatry as part of a full-day programme. The topics covered in the seminars included depression, suicidal tendencies, anxiety and panic disorders, developmental disorders, ADHD and autism.
A conversation with a young person with mental health issues from the inpatient ward, together with the clinic’s care staff.
In the afternoons, the theoretical concepts were reinforced through group work and practical exercises. The course covered assessment, counselling techniques and treatment planning. In addition, real-life cases were presented and discussed collectively. The cases were then discussed in plenary sessions as illustrative examples, thereby reinforcing the training content.
Autism specialist Leslie Abegg visited the Autism Centre in Vientiane for a week in October 2025 and worked with the school and support team for children with autism. Support measures for the children were evaluated and discussed together. In addition, a total of 17 family consultations took place in the presence of staff from the Autism Centre.
Individual intervention with an autistic child.
The training sessions and consultations covered: psychoeducation on autism, appropriate support strategies, specific communication methods for children with autism, and how to manage behavioural difficulties in these children. On 24 October 2025, Leslie Abegg and Dagmar Pauli met with the director and manager of the Autism Centre, as well as the president and vice-president of the autism parents’ organisation. During this meeting, the collaboration to date was evaluated, and work for 2026 was discussed and planned. In addition, five online training sessions were held during the year, each attended by 30 to 50 Laotian professionals from the medical and nursing sectors. These sessions covered both theoretical content and the presentation and discussion of cases brought by the Laotian participants. The training materials were provided in both English and Lao. » Psychiatry Working Group
Seminar on communication skills and diagnostics.
KSW–Phonsavan Hospital Partnership
The collaboration between Cantonal Hospital in Winterthur (KSW) and the Provincial Hospital in Phonsavan takes place within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the SLHP and the Laotian authorities. However, it is organised as an independent association «Verein Spitalpartnerschaft Phonsavan (Laos) & Kantonsspital Winterthur and, accordingly, publishes its own annual report (available in German only).
Communication
We primarily communicate with our members and donors via digital channels. This not only allows us to provide information more frequently and quickly, but also saves on printing and postage costs. Our website www.swisslaos.ch recorded around 7,900 visits in 2025 (previous year: 8,900). We attribute 2.5 per cent of these visits to the free adverts provided by the Google Ad Grants programme (previous year: 3.4 per cent). 7.9 per cent of visits originated from Laos (previous year: 5.4 per cent). In 2025, we stepped up our communication via email. A total of twelve mailings were sent out – some exclusively to members, others to the entire mailing list comprising 530 subscribers (previous year: 510). We also regularly reported on our activities in Laos via Facebook (1,385 followers), Instagram (385 followers) and LinkedIn (230 followers). The only postal mailing took place in early December 2025: a leaflet with an accompanying letter was sent to 970 addresses (previous year: 860). Additional copies were made available in various doctors’ offices and hospitals.
Annual Accounts 2025
The annual accounts 2025 and the auditor’s report are published as separate documents on our website.
Downloads
Annual Report 2025 (in German)
Annual accounts 2025 & auditor’s report (in preparation)
Acknowledgements
The work of the Swiss Laos Hospital Project is based on two pillars: firstly, the voluntary work of doctors, nurses and other specialists; and secondly, donations from foundations, local authorities and church parishes, Rotary and Lions clubs, as well as many private donors. The Board would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to all of them – also on behalf of the Laotian people. Without this commitment, the work of the SLHP would be unthinkable. And this commitment is making a difference – it has been doing so for more than 25 years.
Zurich, 31 March 2026
Dr Marion Mönkhoff
President (ad interim)
Dr Nathalie Brunner
Vice-President (ad interim)
Martin Sauter
Vice-President (ad interim)
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