This field visit provided an opportunity for delegates to understand the context of rural Myanmar, the health concerns of communities and learn about the practical implementation of Inter-country Component 1 (ICC1/RAI), and specifically on mass drug administration/TMT.
The visit was part of a four-day long study tour to ICC1 MDA/TMT villages in Kayin State by RAI implementing countries (from 3–6 July 2016).
Participants visited Ko Ko village and attended a briefing before splitting into four groups, visiting the villages of Pah Kyue, Thae Boe Kyu(area 1), Thae Boe Kyu (area 2) and Taw Oak where TMT had been carried out.
They also observed the malaria posts situated in these villages. Rural communities there have limited access to quality healthcare services because of the remoteness of their villages and their low socio-economic status.
(Left to Right) Dr Thandar Lwin from Ministry of Health and Sports, together with Dr Huy Rekol from Ministry of Health, Cambodia; Dr Tun Tin from Ministry of Health and Sports; Ms Honey Moon from SMRU and Dr Wichai Satamai from Ministry of Public Health, Thailand in a meeting with the village stakeholders of Pha Kyue village, Myawaddy Township.
Malaria posts run by community malaria volunteers (CMV) are the key service delivery points which make communities accessible to malaria prevention and treatment services (within 24 hours after the onset of fever).
Participants crossed a creek by rope-pulled raft on the way to Phar Kyue village, and the raft driver remarked that this was part of villagers’ everyday life.
Field visit participants were very satisfied that ICC1 project had helped communities to access quality malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment services with support from RAI.
On arriving at Phar Kyue village, the visitors met with village leader U Kyaw Thar Yee and community malaria volunteer (CMV) Ko Aung Myint, villagers, village elders and field staff from KDHW and Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) and discussed their experience of MDA/TMT and the malaria prevention, control and treatment services being provided.
At the home of community health worker Ko Kyaw Myint; his 25-year-old wife Naw Wah, his four-year-old son Saw Bway Say and two-year-old daughter Naw Phaw in Phar Kyue village, Myawaddy Township.
Afterwards, they visited the Phar Kyue village malaria post at community health worker Ko Aung Myint’s home and observed antimalarial drugs storage, drug stock and recording in the malaria data entry book, and malaria diagnosis and treatment with RDT recorded.
After returning to their respective countries, the delegates shared their opinions of the visit and provided observations and suggestions on the ICC1 project with Myanmar.
“It has been a great opportunity for us to learn and share experiences among GMS countries”, said Dr Bouasy Hongvanhthong, Director of the Centre for Malaria Parasitology and Entomology, Ministry of Health, Lao PDR.
“This has been a great chance to learn and share experiences of malaria control activities among our GMS countries”, agreed Dr Nguyen Xuan Xa, Deputy Head of Epidemiology, the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, Ministry of Health, Vietnam.
Dr Huy Rekol, Director, National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Ministry of Health, Cambodia, added that, “The meeting and trip provided me a lot of valuable information on how to shape Cambodia towards mass drug administration (MDA) and how to prepare MDA/TMT troubleshooting problems. I also appreciate the efforts of the Global Fund, UNOPS, organizers, the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports, the community and stakeholders.”
“Thanks and cheers to everyone who does great work towards eliminating malaria in the near future”, said Dr Anupong Sujariyakul, Senior Expert in Preventive Medicine, Bureau of Vector Borne Diseases, Ministry of Health, Thailand.
You can see here some photos of the visit and read more about the plenary session here.
