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Institut Pasteur du Laos : A case study

for S&T Cooperation between France

and Lao PDR

Paul Brey, Ph.D.

Director Institut Pasteur du Laos

MEXT Science and Technology Workshop

Tokyo, 8 October 2008

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Institut Pasteur ’s creation in Paris

1887: Established by international fund raising (Russia, Brazil, Japan, France) following L. Pasteur’s Rabies vaccine success

« Our institute will be both a health center for treating rabies, a research center for infectious diseases and a learning center » Louis Pasteur

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Origin of the Institut Pasteur International Network

Three years after the establishment of Institut Pasteur in Paris, Louis Pasteur decided to establish Institut Pasteur outside of metropolitan France sending his most talented young scientists to vaccinate populations against rabies and smallpox and to study infectious diseases

“The future belongs to those who help suffering humanity”

Louis Pasteur

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Origin of the Institut Pasteur International Network

In 1891, Albert Calmette founded the first Overseas Institut Pasteur in Saigon

Today the network includes 30 institutes spanning five continents.

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The International network of Instituts Pasteur

30 Institutes

Institut Pasteur Laos 2007

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Institut Pasteur International Network Missions

• Research• Public Health• Teaching & Training to

build local capacity• Technology transfer

Missions

To improve research capacityTo improve the public health in the countries where these institutes are located

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Instituts Pasteur in South East Asia

• Saigon (HCMC) 1891• Nha Trang 1895• Hanoi = NIHE 1926• Cambodia 1927 • Hong-Kong 2000• Laos 2007

•Vietnamese IPs retroceded of VN MOH in 1954 & 1975

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Lao PDR and it Infectious Disease Prevalance

•Population 5.6 Million, 236,800 Km2, 1700 Km N-S, 47 Ethnic groups

•$375 average annual income (Least Dev. Countries)

•Major infectious diseases: Dengue, Diarrhea, Malaria, ARIs, Leptospirosis, Srub Typhus, Hepatitis,HIV/AIDS, Jap. Enceph.,Rabies, Whooping Cough, parasitic helminths (Opistorchis, Schistosoma…)

•Emerging re-emerging viral diseases: AI H5N1, Dengue, Hantavirus infections, unidentified pathologies

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Lao PDR Govt. Requests IP to Establish IP Laos

• Following SARS and AI H5N1 in 2003 in SE Asia Lao PDR Govt. requests IP to set up IP Laos

• 2006 IP Board of Directors votes to go ahead with IP Laos as Lao National Institute

• 2006 General Agreement between Lao PDR Govt. and IP

• 2007 Lao Prime Minister signs decree for the creation of IP Laos

Dr. Ponmek Dalaloy Minister of Health Lao PDR

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Legal Structure of IP Laos

• IP Laos is a Lao National Institute, non-for-profit, scientific institution, in the public interest as such:• Autonomous and independent, under the authority of the Lao

Ministry of Health and a Board of Directors (3 Lao & 2 French).

• Able to engage freely in collaborative research and investigations with other Lao and international research and public health organisations.

• Able to receive outside funding (philanthropy and grants) and to generate its own resources through its own discoveries to insure its sustainability. IP Laos abides by the WHO International Health Regulations (Sample sharing).

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Control and Management of IP Laos

Scientific Advisory Board

Financial ServiceHuman ressources

Logistics

Financial & Administrative Department

Virology LabVector-borne Diseases/Parasitology Lab

Research Epidemiology LabMicrobiology Lab

Department of Research

Training Lab

Department of EducationTraining and Mentoring

General Director

Board of DirectorsChairman of the Board ex officio Lao Minister of Health

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Mandate and Objectives of IP Laos

• To participate in the surveillance, research and prevention of infectious diseases in Laos

• To participate in training and capacity building of Lao medical doctors and researchers in the areas of scientific research.

• As part of the National PlanNational Plan, to specifically contribute to the investigation of emerging viral infections in both humans and in animal reservoirs

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Budget

Institut Pasteur Laos is funded by Institut Pasteur and the International Donor Community: -French Development Agency-Luxembourg Government-French Ministry of Health-Asian Development Bank-International Corporate Foundation

BUDGET :-Investment : 2.6 M€-Functioning for 5 yrs : 7 M€

----Functioning cost target : 0.6 M€ / yr

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Scientific Programs put in place prior to and during Set up of IP Laos

PROGRAMS :

1.1. Reinforcement technical assistance to virology Reinforcement technical assistance to virology laboratory at National Center for Laboratory and laboratory at National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology for rapid diagnosis of principally AI Epidemiology for rapid diagnosis of principally AI H5N1 and other emerging viral infections H5N1 and other emerging viral infections

2.2. Analysis of Health impact of the Nam Analysis of Health impact of the Nam TheunTheun 2 Hydro2 Hydro-- electric Dam in electric Dam in KhammouanKhammouan Province (NTPC Province (NTPC --MOH MOH Lao Lao -- IP)IP)

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Unique features of IP Laos compared to other S&T Cooperation between G8 and LDC countries

1. Co-creation France- Lao PDR but Lao “ownership” with long-term French guidance

2. Lao Autonomy after 16 years 3. Not a Project but an Institution4. Adapt Research and Training activities to Country’s

needs 5. IP Laos is sole owner of its Intellectual Property

(important for its sustainability)

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Unique features of IP Laos compared to other S&T Collaboration

• Membership and support from the IP International Network

• Underlying Humanitarian Philosophy with the aim of improving the public health conditions of the Lao people

• Multiple international donors, but without voting rights on Board of Directors

• IP Laos Scientific Staff not exclusively Lao and French