Due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, frontline healthcare workers have to deal with an increasing workload on a daily basis and there is a need of alternative modalities to minimize the disruptions of essential life-saving health services. In Myanmar, combined with already pressurized national health system and ongoing political instability, it has been challenging to deliver basic health services where they are most needed and would make the big difference. There is no sufficient capacity to bring in surge support or to rapidly import supplies for populations in need through public sector so that finding a new solution for provision of critical health services has been an urgent priority for Myanmar.
In order to bridge this gap during the challenging times, particularly amidst the 3rd wave of coronavirus in Myanmar and humanitarian crisis on the other hand, WHO worked closely with the local partners to help ensure continuation of essential life – saving health services.
Red Cross volunteers providing ambulance services to a pregnant woman during the curfew hours. Photo credit: Myanmar Red Cross Society
Due to the security concerns and curfew hours imposed, the access to healthcare facilities is also very limited. WHO thus supported MRCS RCVs (Red Cross Volunteers) to provide first aid care and referrals, on 24/7 basis, via their 12 township branches in Yangon. During 4 months implementation period (mid-May to mid-Sep 2021), 862 people were supported for ambulance services, 94 people were provided with first aid care and 121 people were supported with initial treatment cost. Among them, 210 COVID-related patients were also referred to the designated centers and 60 pregnant women to the respective hospitals. The medical equipment necessary for the ambulance and initial first aid care, such as oxygen cylinder, stretcher and pulse oximeter, were also provided with WHO’s financial support.
“With thanks to WHO’s financial support and in – kind donations of medical supplies, Myanmar Red Cross helped save many lives and able to provide humanitarian assistance of first aids and emergency referral to the vulnerable people for their illnesses, injuries and childbirth in twelve most affected townships in Yangon. It was a remarkable quick action during the critical period, when the workforce of health sector resulted in a standstill across the country. – Prof. Dr Htin Zaw Soe, Secretary General, Myanmar Red Cross Society
In this current emergency health context, the role of partnership can promote the accessibility of the basic health services, including saving lives of maternal and child health. Mothers and children constitute over 60 percent of the total population in the country and are accorded special priority by the health system to prevent maternal and newborn deaths and morbidities; and it is also the crucial role in the humanitarian settings. Hence, WHO provided support to Myanmar Medical Association (MMA) which organizes a network between 10 General Practitioner clinics, 5 maternity clinics and 5 hospitals in Yangon Region based on the community living townships such as Shwepyitar and Hlaingtharyar, where the provision is mostly needed. MMA provided the share costs for the patients’ medical expenses like consultation costs, investigation cost, hospital admission related expenses (emergency operation/normal labour) directly to clinics or hospitals on weekly or monthly basis by service token system and reimbursed. Through this support, essential antenatal care, referral to the skilled birth attendants, post delivery services and care and birth spacing, proper and quality care of post abortion care and quality emergency trauma care were duly provided.
The 3rd wave of COVID19 hit hard not only in Yangon, but also in many parts of Myanmar causing many deaths and tremendous hardship. WHO thus joined hands together with Wesley Hospital and other CSOs and CBOs to provide COVID-19 clinical care for severe and very severe COVID-19 cases and lifesaving RMNCAH care in Kalay Township, Sagaing Region, one of the most affected areas by COVID19. Wesley hospital is a reputable secondary level private healthcare facility in Kalay Township, which is providing essential health care services with fair user fees for the community. When public hospitals stopped functioning after 1 February 2021, Wesley Hospital became the main healthcare provider in the area cooperating with Kalay General Hospital and run a Covid-19 treatment Centre at the Kalay Traditional Medicine Hospital as part of Public Private Partnership. With WHO’s support, 140 severe and 98 very severe COVID-19 patients were supported with clinical healthcare management and a total of 1917 mothers, new-born and children were supported antenatal care, delivery care (both normal and caesarean deliveries), post-abortion care, postnatal care, family planning, neonatal and childcare.
These life – saving provisions benefited a great extent to Myanmar people during the ongoing crisis and conflicts. Despite the imminent risks and challenges, WHO commits to continue bringing health services closer to Myanmar people from the ground up through partnerships and technical collaboration to accelerate improved outcomes and quality of care.