Condom distribution cannot be allowed to fail.
[him] moderator
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Former worker’s attacks hurting operations: NGO
Geoffrey Goddard
Myanmar Times
Volume 31, No. 605
December 12 - 18, 2011
ONE of the biggest international non-government organisations in Myanmar said last week its ability to operate in the country was being affected by a media campaign against it by a former employee.
Population Services International said the campaign was putting at risk the healthcare it provides to thousands of people and could threaten its programs as well as affect Myanmar’s ability to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.
PSI has issued a media release to counter allegations made by the former employee in reports carried by a number of publications, including Popular Journal (on October 13), The Voice (October 17), Shwe Mandalay News Journal (October 17), Flower Journal (October 18), Flower News (October 25) and The Great Homeopathic and Alternative Journal (November 16).
The media release says PSI is not sure why the former colleague is attacking the organisation.
“We are saddened and perplexed by the actions of our former colleague,” PSI senior management team spokesperson Dr Tin Aung is quoted as saying in the media release.
“Some of us have worked with him for more than 10 years,” Dr Tin Aung said.
During that time the former colleague did not raise any of the issues mentioned in the media campaign “and we are unclear of the motives behind his current attacks”, he said, adding that PSI wanted to clear its good name.
“We trust in PSI’s integrity and have nothing to fear from thorough investigations. We welcome any credible agency to audit PSI’s finances, programs or data. We are certain these investigations will reveal only the strength of our organisation.
“Unfortunately, in response to these attacks PSI’s senior management team may have to begin contingency planning to scale back project activities.
“We are concerned that this could directly impact children’s lives, but until all issues have been fully resolved and we have regained the full confidence of our partners, we may have no choice.”
The release says PSI recently received a demand from the former employee for a payment of US$500,000 and it was unclear whether this was the real reason behind the accusations.
“PSI is saddened that someone who claims to be acting in the interests of the people could demand for himself money intended to provide poor and vulnerable people with desperately needed medicines,” the release says.
PSI has contributed towards national health priorities in Myanmar since 1995.
PSI’s services include mother and child health, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhoeal disease and it has a network of more than 1500 private-sector general practitioners with whom it works on a contract basis to provide subsidised health care.
An information sheet issued by PSI says its has more than 1000 staff in Myanmar, of whom international staff comprise 0.8 percent of the total, with more than 70pc of staff in the field.
http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/news/605/news3160519.html
