Travelling Puppet Show in Lao PDR Promotes Bird Flu Awareness

This article details how the Lao National Puppet Theatre toured villages in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to increase avian flu awareness and promote bird flu prevention methods. The troupe was part of a joint avian influenza campaign led by the Lao government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which included more than 30 performances in 6 northern provinces.

According to the article, the puppet shows were very popular, especially in remote and rural areas where there was little other entertainment. Attendance rates averaged around 300 people per show, however, in some remote villages the audience numbers totaled more than 1,000 people. “Wherever we go, our shows interest nearly everyone,” said Souvandy Chanthavong, Deputy Director of the Puppet Theatre. “We’re not just giving people messages, we’re also providing entertainment.”

The puppet shows were one part of a multi-faceted communication strategy to combat the spread of avian and human influenza in Lao. Other activities have included bird flu training sessions, the distribution of posters and billboards and television and radio spots.