Laos develops a digital platform to support monitoring and enforcing the Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes

Source: Alive & Thrive

Constance Ching, Code Implementation & Advocacy Consultant at Alive & Thrive, presents a digital platform to monitor and enforce the Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in Laos. Photo credit: Alive & Thrive

Alive & Thrive has been joining hands with UNICEF Laos (with support from the European Union), the Department of Health and Health Promotion and Food and Drug Department under Lao Ministry of Health, and other development partners to develop a national digital platform to monitor and enforce the Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in the country.

The platform consists of three components, including i) VIVID (Virtual Violations Detector), an AI autodetection tool, ii) a crowdsource online reporting form, and iii) a resource e-hub for advocacy and learning.

In February, the partners gathered in Vientiane, Laos, to conduct a User Acceptance Testing workshop to validate that the platform's functions correspond to the users' needs and to collect feedback for the final launch version. Additionally, a workflow simulation and user mapping activity were carried out to provide an orientation on the platform's purpose and to help identify and clarify the role and tasks for relevant organizations and government agencies involved in Code monitoring and enforcement.

This is a part of Alive & Thrive’s continued effort to provide technical support on Code implementation in Laos since 2017, including the adoption of the Decree On Food Products and Feeding Equipment for Infants and Toddlers in 2020 and the implementation of the Decree’s Implementation Guidelines in 2021.