Sabaidee! I’m Xuelor, a Lao staff member!
It has been three months since the Japanese staff of Japan Heart Laos had to prematurely return home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite all the changes, I have started getting used to working with only Lao staff.
From April 1st to May 17th, I could not go to the office because there was a lockdown in Laos and everyone was restricted from going out. Usually, I worked from home using computers that I took from the office. Working remotely had its difficulties, but what actually made me worry was the security of the office. The office also serves as a dormitory for Japanese staff, so under normal circumstances, there is someone present there most of the time. However, during this period, there were no people on the premises for 24 hours a day, so I was concerned about the possibility of a burglary. As a deterrent, our general affairs staff member Ms. Douangkeo went to the office for short periods. Luckily, we were able to avoid any damage to our office during this time.
From May 18th, domestic movement was again allowed in Laos and operations were resumed at the office. The ease of movement meant that many other institutions resumed operations too and patients returned to Oudomxay Hospital. In terms of the content of the work we are doing, it has been a full-scale restart. There have also been some problems related to the sudden lack of Japanese staff. The most significant of these has been the issues of document preparation and communication.
In Laos, it is necessary to submit documents to the government when applying to execute a project. In these situations, an official representative’s signature is required, which is usually fulfilled by a Japanese employee. However, now that there aren’t any Japanese staff available, so it is no longer possible to use their signatures. We were able to consult with the government to create power of attorney so that Lao staff could sign the documents instead, but it wasn’t a perfect solution to the problem.
There are some issues around communication too. Of course, communication is possible with emails, messaging apps and even Zoom, but nothing is as convenient as being able to chat to your colleagues face-to-face as the need arises. Additionally, there is a time difference of 2 hours between Laos and Japan. Even though it is only 2 hours, I feel sorry for my colleagues in Japan because I sometimes have to consult with them outside of business hours. It is not that I can’t communicate, but that I find it to be more difficult than when I am working face-to-face.
In addition to the above-mentioned issues, Lao staff have to go alone to support medical examinations at Oudomxay Hospital. It may not be an ideal situation, but the Lao staff will work together to protect Japan Heart’s Laos operations and patients in Laos. We hope that Japanese staff can return as soon as possible and in the mean time we will give it our all every day, using this opportunity for Lao staff to grow.
Laos Operations, Xuelor