Research is necessary to improve health systems in Myanmar. Is there a searchable database of all the papers that have been presented at the Myanmar Medical Research Conferences? Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ Ministry allots Ks 6 billion budget for health research Eleven 17 December 2019 From April, 2017 to 2019-20 FY, the Ministry of Health and Sports […]

There are two issues here. One is drug trafficking. And the other is the health aspects of discarded needles and syringes. If there are many of them that decreases the chances of people sharing them. That is good for health. If they are sitting out on the ground they can give children hepatitis. But not […]

It has been over fifteen years since I first heard that Myanmar was considering the use of buprenorphine. Here is some evidence that it is being considered again: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yin-min-thaung-60a902164_uhf-buprenorphine-myanmar-activity-6612225861804486656-_V9m And some cautions from regional friends: http://www.indianjpsychiatry.org/temp/IndianJPsychiatry603361-3949992_105819.pdf Bupe can be delivered as a fast dissolving tablet or film. It can simply be begun as an outpatient. […]

The Myanmar country card for 2019 has been published. https://aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/country_review/myanmar-country-card-nov-2019.pdf There is still no international standard 909090 cascade diagram. Jamie

The term “drug abuse” is not recommended by UNAIDS, UNODC, & WHO. It is not an accurate medical term and increases stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs. Revising the language of addiction What are the international civil servants Eamonn Murphy of UNAIDS and Jeremy Douglas of UNODC doing still using it? Editors write […]

I think the headline, as often occurs, does not reflect the content. The text makes it clear it is not drug counselling. It is training for “drug addicts (sic), health staff and counsellors at rehabilitation centres” Good on Dr Gyaw for offering both phone counselling and online training Is abstinence included in the harm reduction […]

It is good that someone is tracking progress against NCDs. How is Myanmar doing? https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(19)30446-2/fulltext#seccestitle10 https://www.thelancet.com/cms/10.1016/S2214-109X(19)30446-2/attachment/a3458ede-c424-4f99-9c78-f8bf3b925cb2/mmc1.pdf Jamie

This is refreshing. Is it time to stop talking about stigma? People should be prosecuted for discrimination. And we can start talking about systemic oppression against people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, prisoners, transgender women, and sex workers. Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ Time to stop the labels that harm Thel Khin Hla Myanmar […]

I’ve just been watching the International Court of Justice live video on Human Rights Day. http://webtv.un.org/live-now/watch/the-hague-icj-holds-hearings-in-the-case-the-gambia-v.-myanmar/5724217175001 Sorry but I can’t post anything else today. Jamie

The Lift Fund has sponsored a groundbreaking study to show how an intervention can improve health. https://www.lift-fund.org/sites/lift-fund.org/files/publication/MCCT%20RCT%20full%20report.pdf When will the intervention be rolled out along all parts of Myanmar where it is needed? Jamie

The World Bank has issued a giant new report on developments in Myanmar. It is not very sanguine. The health content completely ignores noncommunicable diseases. Read the bold parts of the Executive Summary if you don’t have time for the entire report. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/507421574785059413/pdf/Myanmar-Economic-Transition-amid-Conflict.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0th5Chvak1QjRraFyZxziguBz9XA11VOFQrv3J_nLo2LUyaqbW-ka3fyI Jamie

UNAIDS in Myanmar is looking for a Myanmar HIV prevention staffer. https://erecruit.unaids.org/public/hrd-cl-vac-view.asp?o_c=1000&jobinfo_uid_c=36549&vaclng=en Jamie