Myanmar Counterparts Learn Value
of Japan's Integrated Health Approach

From 17th November to 3rd December, Drs. Hla Hla Aye, Director, International Health Division, Ministry of Health (MOH), San Shwe Wynn, Director, Public Health, Department of Health (DOH), MOH, Thein Thein Htay, Deputy Director, Maternal and Child Health, DOH, MOH, and Win Pe, Consultant, Central Women's Hospital, Mandalay, Myanmar, visited Japan on an observation mission for the JICA-supported Community-Oriented Reproductive Health (RH) Project in the Union of Myanmar.

The two-week program introduced Japan's accumulated experiences and best practices in RH and maternal and child health (MCH), and shared ideas among project personnel about JOICFP's approach to effective community intervention for RH under the community-operated RH (CoRH) concept.

At the opening session

Through lectures and visits to relevant organizations in Tokyo, and a field trip to local governments, university hospital, clinics and public health centers in Wakayama and Osaka prefectures, the visitors were able to identify strategies to assist in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs for safe motherhood and CoRH, as well as identification of a model approach to be taken in Myanmar.

Observing an infant health check-up
in Kudoyama-town, Wakayama

Key points

o The Japanese MCH promoters (community-based volunteers working at grassroots level), were seen as a key component in safe motherhood, linking the community people to local government and private services.

o Public health service providers, such as public health nurses, work closely with MCH promoters, thereby improving community awareness on MCH as well as general health.

o The effective decentralization of MCH services and integration of all levels of public health was appreciated by the visitors.

Other points selected by the Myanmar mission were good information management systems, good governance, the high level of commitment of health personnel at all levels, the good balance between the preventive and curative approaches, and different levels of health care for all ages.

JICA presentation

In a summing-up presentation at JICA, the visitors highlighted lessons learned through the mission, including the JOICFP sessions with examples including those of CoRH, behavior change communication (BCC), and development of a project strategy framework.

At the closing ceremony, Myanmar MOH,
JICA and JOICFP together