Colleagues,
A good morning to all of you.
Thank you for joining this Workshop on WHO’s Humanitarian Response in Myanmar.
I know I don’t need to reiterate the sensitivity and delicacy of the situation in Myanmar, of the work that we do there, and indeed of the work our entire UN community in Myanmar.
We know the challenges we face on the ground.
Humanitarian assistance faces significant challenges in reaching remote areas beyond the control of the de-facto military authorities.
The lack of reliable health intelligence also impedes our work, with limited disease surveillance data and information on healthcare needs.
This absence of accurate information also complicates our decision-making, hindering effective aid distribution and response planning.
There is a critical shortage of medical supplies in areas outside the control of the de-facto authorities.
The healthcare crisis is compounded by the road barricades by armed groups, and other logistical challenges, making it practically impossible for aid to reach some regions.
Currently, we at SEARO are supporting operations through the SEARO Emergency Management Support Team, and through weekly three level operational support calls - closely coordinating with HQ and our Country Office.
Given the many on-ground and operational complexities, we know we need to innovate to strengthen response. We also need to learn from global practices adopted to navigate through similar operational challenges.
There is no doubt we also need to strengthen our work with other partners, including our sister UN agencies, local actors, and communities.
The next two days are our opportunity to revisit our operational modalities and actions, and to explore possible new approaches to further scale up the health response operations in Myanmar.
I hope you have fruitful and successful discussions and look forward to the outcomes of this workshop.
On a personal level, I would like to thank you all for all that you are doing in such difficult circumstances. You work is tireless, your efforts are never-ending, and your impact is crucial.
It is all of you that make the WHO such a critical global asset at all times, but particularly in times of conflict and despair.
I thank you.