Viewpoint: Community-led social prescribing in low and middle income countries: a case study from Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Abstract

Social prescribing has been mainly developed in high-income countries with strong health systems, while its application in low- and middle-income countries is less explored. In Lao PDR, the CONNECT Initiative offers context-specific support to improve community health and wellbeing through a bottom-up, participatory approach. Community members identify vulnerable groups and needs, then work together with local authorities and health staff to find solutions like improved water access, transport to health facilities, and support for the elderly. An evaluation indicates increased trust in the health system and uptake of essential services. This demonstrates how communities in low-resource settings can collectively develop solutions to address local social determinants of health, and the importance of building trust and addressing power imbalances. This community-led process in which health systems play a supporting role can be reframed as co-production rather than prescribing and may also provide insights for high-income countries in strengthening social cohesion.