Since the beginning, health research activities were undertaken by the Council of Medical Sciences (CMS) which was established in December of 1989 by the Prime Minister Council and started its activities two years later after the nomination of its executive board.

According to the demand of concretizing of tasks, the National Institute of Public Health (NIOPH) was established in 1999 by the Prime Minister Degree No 20/PMO as a national focal point for health research and training activities in Lao PDR by merging of health research activities of the Council of Medical Sciences (CMS) and training activities of the School of Public Health (SPH).

NIOPH has been assigned to be responsible for the fifth main work plan of the MOH “Health Research and Training Management”. Thus, the NIOPH is suppose to be a macro technical body of the Ministry of Health, which is a national focal point for promoting, supporting, coordinating and implementing health research activities, health policies and research ethic development. In addition, the NIOPH conducts in country post graduate training and training on health management, upgrading health staffs in their relevant technical areas nationwide and cooperates with foreign partner institutions.  Moreover, the NIOPH is acted as a bureau of the Council of Medical Sciences, MOH.