SEARO | WHO in the South-East Asia Region| World Health Organizationn

Dr Than Lwin Tun and his team from Health Promotion Unit of Department of Public Health, Myanmar received the Dr LEE Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health, today at WHO Headquarters, Geneva, during the 72nd session of World Health Assembly. The Prize was awarded in recognition of the Community Health Clinics and its contribution to public health in the hard-to-reach areas. The concept of the Community Health Clinic is to strengthen community health services, through the efficient use of resources and increased promotion of health literacy.

• Read more about Local clinics boost health literacy in Myanmar

To address the burden of TB-HIV, the national AIDS and Tuberculosis programmes in the Ministry of Health & Sports are responding jointly to TB and HIV diseases, with the support of partners. Myanmar has made impressive progress in addressing both diseases. At the same time, despite progress, Myanmar is still considered ‘high burden’ for TB and HIV and has a high rate of TB-HIV co-infections.

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In strengthening health emergency care services in the country, Ministry of Health & Sports established the Emergency Medical Services Training Centre at Naypyitaw. Opened in January 2019, it was followed by the First responder training course for emergency medical staff. WHO supported the training of about 330 doctors and nurses in emergency resuscitation techniques.

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Blood transfusion is an essential health service to save lives. Every health system needs it. Adequate and safe blood supply can only be ensured by voluntary, unpaid blood donations. It is among this group that the risk of blood borne infections is lowest. In 2017, Myanmar sourced approx 80% of blood donations from voluntary, unpaid donors.

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