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New Delhi 30 May
2008 - The World Health Organization and its Health Cluster partners in Myanmar
have approved a six-month US$28 million action plan to provide immediate
health care for cyclone survivors, and support longer-term efforts to rebuild
the country’s ravaged health care system.
The Health Cluster Joint Plan of Action addresses the
humanitarian needs of communities affected by Cyclone Nargis
in the Ayeyarwady Delta region and Yangon, with a particular focus on people
living in temporary shelters and relocation sites.
The objectives of the Joint Plan of Action are to:
 Assess
and monitor health needs and strengthen disease surveillance
Respond
to outbreaks and other health threats, strengthen disease control and fill
gaps critical to delivering health care
Strengthen
and repair systems and build capacity
Engage
national and international partners to coordinate a joint health sector
response.
“Building back better” is the guiding principle of the
Joint Action Plan, said Dr Eric Laroche, Assistant
Director-General of WHO’s Health Action in Crises and head of the Global
Health Cluster effort established to respond to the Myanmar crisis. The
Cluster will respond to critical and life threatening gaps in the health care
system and help strengthen and repair health infrastructure.
“We must help repair and revitalize Myanmar’s
health services and replace the damaged medical equipment in affected
facilities,” Dr Laroche said. “Our goal is to treat
survivors and provide them with care and support by building a health caree system that can withstand any future natural
disasters.”
The cyclone destroyed about 50% of the healthcare system
in the affected region. Primary health care needs to be reactivated
immediately starting with immunization for measles and polio. There is a need
to strengthen disease surveillance, in cooperation with Myanmar
authorities, to respond to potential outbreaks. A rapid assessment of the
damage to health facilities is needed to understand what is required immediately.
Additional supplies of essential emergency medicines, equipment, bed nets,
and provision of mental health and psychological support for survivors
suffering trauma can be foreseen.
“While continuing with the emergency phase, WHO is assisting the government of Myanmar in strengthening
the existing health systems,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Deputy Regional Director for WHO’s
Regional Office for South-East Asia.
“We are preparing an early recovery plan which will dovetail into Myanmar’s
national health plan. WHO is advocating a community-based approach to
strengthen Myanmar’s
national and local health systems," she added. Dr Poonam
Singh is heading WHO Myanmar emergency operations.
WHO and the medical charity organization Merlin co-chair
the Health Cluster, which comprises more than 40 partners including numerous
UN agencies and more than two dozen international NGOs. The US$28 million
needed for the plan includes US$10 million for WHO activities.
The Joint Plan of Action also aims to prevent and control
communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea,
pneumonia, tetanus, measles, dengue fever and malaria. It advocates the
continuation of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS care and treatment; prevention and
containment of vector-borne diseases and handling of snake bites.
For further information contact:
Mr Paul Garwood, communications officer, WHO Health
Action in Crises (Geneva),
+41-794755546 email garwoodp@who.int
Ms Vismita Gupta-Smith, Public Information and Advocacy
officer, WHO South-East Asia Region (New Delhi), Tel: +91-11-23309401, e-mail: guptasmithv@searo.who.int
Mr Chadin Tephaval, communications officer WHO Bangkok, Tel: +66-81-5901524 email: chadin@searo.who.int
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