At the key time that the Global Fund Regional Artemisinin Resistance Initiative (RAI) is entering its second year of implementation, the 5th meeting of the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) was convened in Lao PDR on April 9th of 2015. The participants were from WHO, WPRO, Global Fund, Bill-Melinda gates foundations, GMS countries, NGOs and donors, respectively. Three Chinese delegation members, Mr. SHE Zhi-wen, SHAN Duo and XIAO Ning from the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China CDC, were invited to take part in this important meeting. In the meeting, the RSC reviewed the progress of the RAI tasks designated at the last RSC meeting held in Myanmar in September of 2014，and discussed the progress of the RAI Country Component and the Inter-Country Component activities including development of the RAI website (www.raifund.org). Moreover, the RSC reviewed and made decision on the re-programing of the saving as well as on the Independent Review of the program in principle. During the meeting, the Chinese delegation proposed that the RAI should concern and support the activities of malaria control along the China-Myanmar borders.

After the meeting, the RSC members were invited by the Ministry of Health and NMCP of Lao PDR to visit the province of Champasack (southern Laos) to experience local malaria control activities and share the interesting information.