Good luck to MSF-H for the next two years.
Jamie
++++++++++++++++++
MSF Holland signs two-year agreement with Myanmar Ministry of Health
Médecins Sans Frontières Holland (MSF-H) renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Myanmar Ministry of Health (MoH) on September 8, 2014. The MoU establishes a framework for MSF-H medical activities in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states, as well as in the Yangon region and allows for an expenditure of USD$29.7 million over a two-year period.
The signing of the MoU will allow MSF-H, MoH, the National AIDS Program (NAP), the National TB Program (NTP) and associated technical departments to work closer together to ensure best care for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and malaria patients in Myanmar, as well as provide primary health care and disease education, diagnosis and treatment to those in need, wherever they may be.
In Kachin and Shan states, MSF-H will continue to cooperate with the MoH, NTP and NAP in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and co-infected TB patients in 19 townships. Currently in Northern Shan State, MSF-H is also providing assistance to populations displaced by recent conflict. In the Yangon region, the agreement will enable MSF-H to continue treatment of HIV/AIDS and co-infected TB patients in 16 townships, in close collaboration with the MoH, NTP and NAP.
In total, MSF-H currently provides treatment and care for more than 30,000 HIV/AIDS and 3,000 TB patients in Myanmar across all our project locations, as well as provides health education to communities, laboratory diagnosis and treatment of diseases and facilitates patient referrals to MoH facilities when required.
In the event of a natural disaster or epidemic outbreak, the MoU also enables MSF-H to closely coordinate with the MoH in responding to humanitarian medical crises immediately and address the health needs of any affected community, when and wherever necessary in Myanmar. In addition, the MoU covers MSF-H’s collaboration with the MoH to fight the increasing numbers of DR-TB patients in Myanmar, which is rapidly turning into a public health threat.
While the MoU also covers Rakhine state, MSF-H has only just begun consultations with all relevant stakeholders in Rakhine, including community representatives, regarding the resumption of our activities, which were suspended in February 2014. Together with the MoH, Rakhine State Department of Health and State Government, MSF-H is committed to continuing to engage in an open and transparent dialogue regarding our future activities in Rakhine and stands ready to resume operations in the state at any time.
For more information on MSF activities in Myanmar and around the world in Myanmar/English languages, please visit www.msfmyanmar.org or www.msf.org for English only.
MSF Holland has been in Myanmar since 1992 and is currently providing health care in Shan, Kachin and Yangon to tens of thousands of people from many ethnic origins. MSF was among the first responders to cyclones Nargis and Giri, providing medical assistance, survival items and clean water resources for hundreds of thousands of people.
