The geographic web site you linked to used the US State Department and CIA fact book web site as sources (2002-2007). I believe the World Health Organisation might have more recent and accurate statistics.
The situation regarding healthcare in Laos is improving so rapidly that a lot of information that is maybe three or five years old can be outdated. Look at incidence of malaria for instance, one of the largest contributors to infant mortality, it is declining at an inspiring rate.
In larger more urban area women have access to modern pre natal care, for instance ultra sound and testing for hepatitis B. I think Laos should rightly be proud of the great strides it has made recently in health care, especially for babies.
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Ever had a question you wanted to ask a falang? Go ahead and ask, I am one.
The best thing Lao government should do is EDUCATION, particularly in rural areas, which Department in LAO is responsible for social and family planning, then that Department must send officer or doctors going to rural country side to show people the important of HYGIENE and NUTRITION. The most vital time is when a woman is pregnant, she must know how to choose healthy food for her and her baby inside....how to prepare food...etc. When you are carry a baby inside it's not just anything you wanted but the food must have nutrition value....if you could not because you were sick ( many women were sick when they were pregnant) if you were unable to eat, then VITAMIN must be taken so the baby inside and you, both are healthy. So the birth race will be less fatal.
Above a link to world health organisation yearly results for Laos. Notice infant mortality cut in half from 1990 to 2005. You should realize also that accurate statistics were difficult to obtain prior to 96. Note also the steady decline each decade.