Health Sector Milestone: Laos marked the 61st Lao Medical Day with a ceremony highlighting progress over 60 years and spotlighting priorities like noncommunicable diseases and thalassemia. Workforce Reform: The Ministry of Health is drafting a 2026–2030 five-year plan to strengthen its organizational structure, improve health civil servant training, and push toward higher-quality, more modern services. Inclusion & Care Access: A Disability Inclusion Fun Day brought together persons with disabilities, youth, volunteers and partners, with activities that also covered sexual and reproductive health information and protection from gender-based violence. Regional Health Cooperation: Laos and China signed agreements for seven Mekong-Lancang Special Fund projects, including public health and poverty reduction, totaling US$3.31 million for 2026. Food Security in Care: A “food is medicine” approach in Laos-linked diaspora coverage shows how screening for food insecurity can connect patients to fresh food and meal support as part of routine healthcare. Livestock Disease Alert: FAO is helping Laos and other countries prepare for a new foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype (SAT1) with early warning, surveillance and rapid lab diagnosis support. Mekong Water Safety: Reports on Mekong pollution focus on arsenic and other heavy metals spreading downstream, raising health risks for communities that rely on river fish and water. Health Market Signals: A global bile duct cancer market update projects growth through 2035, driven by rising cholangiocarcinoma incidence and expanding targeted therapies.